STRESSING the need to preserve the “balance of power” among the three branches of government, the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, has denied the petition of the House prosecution panel to require at least four Supreme Court associate justices to testify on the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

In a resolution, the impeachment court dismissed the plea of the prosecutors to summon Justices Bienvenido Reyes, Maria Lourdes Sereno, Presbitero Velasco, and Martin Villarama, Jr. whom they wanted to testify on the supposed participation of Corona on the deliberation of the labor case involving the Philippine Airlines and its former flight attendants and stewards.

“The court resolves to deny the request. This court cannot do so without transgressing the basic constitutional principle of separation of powers. This court is bound to respect the internal rules of the Supreme Court which is a co-equal branch of government under the Constitution,” the court stressed. The three pillars of government are the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary.

“The only constitutionally recognized limitation of the rule making power of the Supreme Court is that it must not diminish, increase, or modify substantive rights, which is basically the function of Congress. Considering that the internal rules of the Supreme Court is a consequence of its rule making power, this court should not attempt to undermine the efficacy of an act of a co-equal branch of government,” it added.