MANILA, Philippines - Candidates for president have expressed disagreement over the Supreme Court's ruling allowing President Arroyo to appoint a new chief justice.

Sagip Korte Suprema, a group of lawyers, has challenged them to put their disagreement into action by signing a covenant that they will not recognize the Arroyo-appointed chief justice if they become president.

But the camps of various presidential candidates are non-committal about signing such a covenant.

Nacionalista Party (NP) spokesman Gilbert Remulla said that while the covenant sounds good at face value, it needs to be studied for its short- and long-term implications.

"This is a proposal that is really worth studying and taking a look at its short-term and long-term implications. If for the purposes of PR, it sounds very good. But we also have to recognize the fact that the SC is an independent body. It should be independent from the executive and anybody else. And I think that should be respected. Whatever their decisions are at this point are things that have to be looked at and further studied," Remulla told ANC.

Remulla added they do not want to create a situation in which anarchy would reign simply because an appointment was made by a previous administration.

"We do not want to create a scenario wherein anarchy would reign na hindi tayo magkakaroon ng pagkilala ng certain personalities because they were appointed by the previous administration," he said.

The camp of former President Estrada was also hesitant to commit to a covenant signing, saying that based on informal discussions in the party, if President Arroyo appoints an incumbent Supreme Court justice to the post, they would find this acceptable.

"Sa informal discussions namin, kung ang i-aappoint is an insider, one of the justices,...we can live with that. Ang masama if ang appoint is an outsider," said Ernesto Maceda, spokesman of former President Estrada.

Liberal Party standard-bearer Senator Noynoy Aquino said he is weighing his options on the matter. But this early, he said the chief justice could be impeached by the next Congress if it is proven the appointment is illegal.

The spokesman of Lakas-Kampi candidate Gilberto Teodoro, meanwhile, was more definite about his candidate's stand.

Mike Toledo said if all motions for reconsideration are rejected, and the Supreme Court upholds its decision, Teodoro would not sign the covenant since it would be against the rule of law.

"We will not be part of the covenant if it is against the rule of law," he said.

Sagip Korte Suprema, however, said it is the duty of the elected president to correct anything not in line with the Constitution.

"If we are to stick to our position that this is not in accordance with the Constitution and moral standards, then any elected president should take it upon themselves to correct this. While we will follow the decision, the legal position of the SC and we will abide by it, it does not follow that we should accept it sitting down. There should be checks and balances in our democratic institution. In the same manner that Congress checks the executive, I think it's about time that major institutions of our democracy should also check the judicial performance of our justices, and we feel that there is nothing wrong with that," said Sonny Rivera, spokesman of Sonny Rivera.

Malacañang, meanwhile, called on its critics to respect the Supreme Court's ruling allowing President Arroyo to appoint the successor of chief justice Reynato Puno, who retires on May 17.