MANILA, Philippines - The intense battle over who will be the next Chief Justice is threatening to spill over to the Supreme Court.

Associate Justice Renato Corona, Malacañang’s supposed candidate to replace retiring Chief Justice Reynato Puno, hinted on Monday that his rivals may be the ones behind a campaign to smear his reputation.  (Read: Justice Corona's voting record favors Arroyo)

He did not name names, but he was apparently was referring to his closest rival, Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

A losing litigant had written the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) accusing Corona of impropriety for supposedly accepting a bribe from the winning party in a case. (Read: Frontrunner for Chief Justice accused of impropriety) 

Businessman and lawyer Fernando Campos broadly insinuated that Corona sought free airline tickets to Las Vegas on May 3 last year to watch the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight.

In his complaint before the JBC, the body that vets nominees to the judiciary, Campos said Corona unduly favored the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) and PhilWeb in connection with the “tele-sabong” or online cockfight betting game.

Campos, chair of Inter-Petal Recreational Corp. (IPRC), the company that supposedly tried to develop tele-sabong, had filed a certiorari against PAGCOR and Philweb after finding out that the two were forming a partnership to develop the on-line cockfight betting.

The SC’s first division, however, dismissed the certiorari case.

Campos has alleged that Corona, who penned the ruling, unduly favored Philweb by dismissing his case in record time.

'Vicious, malicious lies'

Corona tagged as “vicious and malicious lies” Campos’ allegation, and implied that a rival may be behind it.
 
Corona said there was nothing irregular in his outright dismissal of the IPRC petition, “considering the numerous procedural defects in the petition.”
 
“The IPRC/Campos petition was hobbled by various procedural infirmities. Indeed, the petition was patently and hopelessly defective on its face, there was no way the Court could have waived such serious violations of the Rules of Court when it issued the April 20, 2009 resolution dismissing it,” Corona said.

Corona pointed out that the decision was reached unanimously in consultation with members of the Court’s First Division, including its working chairperson, Carpio.
 
Other members of the First Division are Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Lucas Bersamin, Corona, and Carpio.
 
Corona described as “curious” the “unusual effort” of Campos to dissociate Carpio from the questioned ruling.
 
Why blame only me?

“It is highly suspicious that Campos lays all the blame and heaps all sorts of slanderous insinuations solely on me while, at the same time, clearing another member of the First Division who also participated in the dismissal of the petition,” he said.
 
Corona added: “Why the special interest in pinning me down as ‘sole author’ of the assailed resolution while readily absolving another member of the First Division who participated in the dismissal (of the petition)? Who breached the rule of confidentiality and colluded with Campos in filing this complaint against me? Was Campos’ ‘reliable source’ a member of the First Division?”

Corona said it was Campos himself who actively tried to pressure him into deciding in his favor, claiming Campos asked different people to intercede on his behalf, among them retired Justices Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Santiago Kapunan, and Leonardo Quisumbing.
 
As for the Las Vegas trip, Corona denied Campos's insinuation that Philweb financed his trip.
 
He said he and his family usually take advantage of the SC’s summer recess in May to go to the US, with or without a Pacquiao fight.
 
He said that he has always paid for his trips, annexing copy of his receipt for that particular trip in May 2009 alluded to by Campos as having been paid for by Philweb.
 
“Complaints from disgruntled litigants and occasional attacks ad hominem are normal risks of the trade or occupational hazards in the court. In those instances, a judge or justice can only console himself with the balm of a good conscience… It is unfortunate that, in their quest to control the judiciary, some people have no qualms about destroying the reputation of those they perceive to be stumbling blocks to their ambition,” Corona said.

'Just let next President choose'

Of the top 3 most senior justices, only Corona has agreed to be appointed Chief Justice without conditions.

Carpio and Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales have told the JBC they will only agree to be chosen if it is the next president who will appoint the next Chief Justice. They said the Constitution prohibits a president from issuing appointments 60 days before a presidential election and until the end of his or her term.

Chief Justice Puno retires on May 17, which is within the period of the ban on midnight appointments.

However, the President may also fill up a vacancy in the High Tribunal from a list to be given by the JBC.

Some legal experts have suggested that the best way to avoid a constitutional crisis is for Mrs. Arroyo to just let the next President choose the next Chief Justice.

The new president will still have 45 days to choose, and an acting chief justice may be chosen by the 14 other justices of the Supreme Court.

Malacañang has said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will decide based on what's best for the national interest.