the guardian of the constitution

8/18/2019 The Guardian of the Constitution

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Vicon B. De Guzman Legal Writing2-Teehankee Atty. Donelle Khan

The Guardian of the on!titution" The #udiciary

The #udicial De$artment i! an e!!ential %ranch of e&ery

democratic !y!tem of go&ernment. Although the #udiciary hold!

'neither $ur!e nor !(ord)* it i! an indi!$en!a%le $art of our

go&ernment in !afeguarding the !u$remacy of the on!titution. +t!

$ur$o!e i! to a!certain that the la(! %e faithfully im$lemented and

that no $er!on* natural or ,uridical* !hall %e de$ri&ed of their mandated

right! (ithout due $roce!! of la(. A! an im$ortant %ranch of the

go&ernment clothed (ith $o(er! eual (ith that of /ecuti&e and the

Legi!lati&e* the #udiciary i! ta!ked to correct the error! that the other

%ranche! might carry out that i! not in conformity (ith the

on!titution0 and a!!ert it! !olemn duty to u$hold the on!titution and

the la(! of the land. Before the ad&ent of the 134 on!titution* the

#udiciary5! $o(er! (ere not at $ar (ith the /ecuti&e and Legi!lati&e

%ranche!. 6ore !o (hen the 147 harter (a! !till in o$eration* it!

$ro&i!ion! (ere in!u8cient to grant the ourt the authority to check

the o&er$o(ering of the /ecuti&e and thu! re!ulted to the tyrannical

rule of the de$o!ed dictator.

The $re!ent 134 on!titution ha! no( endo(ed the /ecuti&e*

Legi!lati&e and #udicial De$artment! (ith $o(er! con!idered nece!!ary

to achie&e euili%rium %et(een authority and li%erty and $re!cri%e the

$ermanent frame(ork of our !y!tem of go&ernment. +n order that no

tyrant (ill again ri!e to !eize and e/$loit the !anctity of the

go&ernment* the ne( on!titution ha! !$eci9cally $ro&ided a rather

com$rehen!i&e and (ide-ranging de9nition of #udicial :o(er. Article V+++

;ection 1 $ro&ide! that* '#udicial $o(er include! the duty of the court!

of ,u!tice to !ettle actual contro&er!ie! in&ol&ing right! (hich are

legally demanda%le and enforcea%le* and to determine (hether or not

there ha! %een a gra&e a%u!e of di!cretion amounting to lack or e/ce!!

of ,uri!diction on the $art of any %ranch or in!trumentality of the

Go&ernment).


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to u$hold the highe!t la( of the land ha! the $rofound ca$acity to

make thi! democratic !y!tem of go&ernment &ia%le.

But e&en the mo!t $erfect !y!tem ha! it! >a(!0 many time! our

go&ernment ha! come into con>ict that in&ol&e! either t(o or all the

%ranche! cla!hing. ?ecently* the court5! declaration of

uncon!titutionality of the :riority De&elo$ment A!!i!tance


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function! of the go&ernment (ill %e u$on hi! $rerogati&e. :re!ident

Auino5! action (a! a direct conde!cen!ion to the igh ourt5!

$rerogati&e of u$holding it! !acred duty. Fne (ould al!o e/$ect that

hief #u!tice ;ereno (ould em$athize (ith the :re!ident %ecau!e !he

(a! an a$$ointee of the admini!tration after hief #u!tice orona (a!

im$eached* %ut the 6agi!trate! !ho(ed im$artiality and inde$endence

(hen it handed do(n it! deci!ion. +t !ho(ed the !trong !tand of theourt not to %e >ailed %y the in>uence of :re!ident and further! ,udicial

inde$endence. Ee&erthele!!* the ;u$reme ourt recognized the

$o!iti&e eect! of the di!credited !$ending $rogram (hen it a$$lied

the Doctrine of F$erati&e


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con!ideration* one educated in the la( (ould regard thi! a! an

infringement again!t the ourt5!


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%ranche! in our go&ernment (ill $er!i!t a! it (ill mold the outcome of

our country in the future. There (ill %e cla!he!* there (ill %e con>ict!

%ut the rule of la( mu!t %e u$held. A! it i! al(ay! !aid* 'Fur! i!

go&ernment of la(! and not of men)* it i! the la( that hold! our

correlation (ith each other* to our !ociety and (ith the go&ernment0 it

i! (hat hold! our !ociety not to fall into chao!. The la( (a! our key to

achie&e a functioning !ociety it i! our key to achie&e uto$ia. A%iding inthe la( and not on our o(n choice i! our duty in %uilding our nation.

;el9!h (ant! and am%ition! mu!t %e !et a!ide and the (elfare of the

entire nation mu!t %e a $riority.

Lawless are they that make their wills their law.-William Shakespeare

the guardian of the constitution

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