Drilon urges De Castro to recuse from political cases before SC

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday asked Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro to recuse herself from deliberations on political cases that have been brought before the Supreme Court.

In a statement, Drilon said he had known De Castro for over two decades and had "known her to be a woman of intelligence and integrity."

"All questions, issues, and doubts surrounding the appointment of Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, particularly with regard to her impartiality, can only be addressed if the newly-appointed chief magistrate refrains from participating in any political case pending before the court," Drilon said.

"I encourage her to inhibit from politically charged cases in order to uphold the integrity of the decision that the Supreme Court may make during her short tenure," he added.

Aside from the election protest of former Senator Bongbong Marcos against Vice President Leni Robredo, the political cases before the High Tribunal include those questioning President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and his administration's plan to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.

De Castro took her oath as Chief Justice before the Supreme Court en banc on Tuesday. She is also slated to take an oath before President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday.

She will be Chief Justice for only five weeks as she turns 70—the mandatory retirement age for magistrates—on October 8.

"I have known Chief Justice de Castro for over two decades and I have known her to be a woman of intelligence and integrity," Drilon said.

"Whether she can do as much, set a trend, or influence the Supreme Court, during her five weeks tenure as Chief Justice is something that is difficult to expect given such limitation. What else can she do within her term?" he added. —NB, GMA News