VILLAR ON SC RULING AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL EXECUTIVE ORDER 464

I welcome and commend the Supreme Courts decision to declare as unconstitutional Executive Order 464 of President Arroyo. Once and for all, the ruling will put to rest the controversies and issues surrounding the issuance of the said E.O. It will also settle the chaos that the E.O. created.

My own committees in the Senate, Public Order and Finance, have been adversely affected by E.O. 464. It jeopardizes the public inquiry and investigation that we are conducting. We have had public hearings where the key resource persons did not show up because they were not given a clearance to attend.

E.O. 464 curtails not only the freedom of government officials to decide on their own or use their personal judgment whether they should attend or not attend Senate proceedings. It clips everyones wings, so to speak. Even worse, it makes a mockery of the check and balance between the Executive and Legislative departments of the government.

The enlightened ruling and decision of the Supreme Court proves to everyone that they are still independent of Malacañang . The peoples trust and confidence in the judiciary will surely be reinforced because of this.