House leaders, members welcome Peralta’s appointment as Chief Justice

House members on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta as the Supreme Court's next Chief Justice.

In a statement, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said Peralta's appointment will "highlight the intellectual leadership" in the high court.

"He will champion good governance and serve as a beacon of light in maintaining the pristine supremacy of the Constitution," Romualdez said.

"His loyalty to the Constitution will guide the nation’s leaders and the people in their quest for a better justice system," he added.

Romualdez is the head of the Philippine Constitution Association.

Deputy Speaker Michael Romero believes that Peralta's appointment to the position is a "well-deserved promotion."

"CJ Peralta is a legal intellectual who will contribute immensely in the effective administration of the judiciary and in ensuring the impartial interpretation of both the letter and spirit of the law," he said.

Ang Probinsyano party-list Representative Ronnie Ong said Peralta's long experience as a member of the Supreme Court makes him the best choice for the position.

But for Kabayan party-list Representative Ron Salo, "perseverance, professionalism, and a deep sense of public service" are some of the determinants of Peralta's appointment.

"The decisions he has penned, and the legal advocacies he has pursued resoundingly prove that he is always ready in upholding truth, fairness and social justice," he said.

"With him at the helm of the Judiciary, the Filipino people are certainly assured that justice and the rule of law will always prevail," he added.

Ako Bicol party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr., himself a lawyer, said he is expecting Peralta to institute reforms in the administration of justice in his term as chief justice.

"We want an independent Judiciary from the lowest court to the Supreme Court. We need judges who cannot be bought or cave in under pressure or blackmail," he said.

He also highlighted the need for more courts in the country and better ways to reduce case backlogs through the judicial system.

"Filipinos deserve a court system that makes full use of modern technologies and has more people out in the field to dispose of pending cases which cause congestion in our jails," Garbin said.

Peralta is expected to hold the top magistrate position until his retirement from the judiciary when he turns 70 in March 2022. —NB, GMA News