Press Release
October 26, 2010

Press statement of Senator Chiz Escudero on the SC vs UP Law Faculty

On the matter between the Supreme Court and the UP Law Faculty...

The impasse between the High Magistrate and University of the Philippines Faculty of Law does not augur well for our freedom of expression.

As a former member of the UP Law Faculty, it is my strong belief that any government official including members of the judiciary should not be thin-skinned about dissenting public opinion which is permitted in a democratic country like ours.

SC members, as all other government officials, are always under public visibility, thus criticisms such as that from the UP Law faculty should be taken constructively, especially given the fact that even our Supreme Court had the matter already investigated.

Freedom of expression is an inalienable part of a democratic system. Anyone for that matter is not precluded from voicing out his opinion, be it either contrary or supportive of the prevailing facts.

This is especially true in the legal profession, where lawyers are but advocates for or against a particular judicial controversy over which the SC has the final say.

In fact, the SC, as a collegial body, in the performance of its constitutional duty to resolve such controversies even reverses itself at times in the light of significant developments.

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