Impeachment of a Former Chief Justice: Its Effects to the Court Employees in Batangas City

This paper investigated the Impeachment of a Former Chief Justice: Its Effects to the Court Employees in Batangas City. The result revealed that the respondents agree with the effects of impeachment, the most observed effect of which is that the impeachment led to a more strict compliance of government officials in the declaration of their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth or SALN. The respondents disagreed that the impeachment reduced foreign investments and diminished the people’s trust to the judiciary. Moreover, the employees’ perception on the effects varies to the level of their seniority (years) in the office. From the results gathered, suggestions have been formulated. First, the Commission on Audit may adopt an efficient policy to ensure that public officials are diligently observing the constitutional provision embodied in Article XI, Section 17 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandating the declaration of their SALNs. Being the Highest Tribunal of the country, the Judiciary, may initiate measures to always maintain the constitutional provision under Article XI, Section 1 of the Constitution that public office is a public trust. The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, otherwise known as RA 6713, may be amended to impose higher criteria for public officials and employees in the discharge of the duties required of them. Future researchers may come up with a thorough study on the effects of the impeachment of the Former Chief Justice using other variables to further scrutinize the other effects of this significant part of our political history.

Keywords – impeachment, Chief Justice, public trust, SALN