How Shadow of Doubt Exposed the Secrets and Scandals of the Supreme Court
Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court - A Book Review
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is one of the most powerful and influential institutions in the country. It has the authority to interpret and apply the Constitution, strike down laws and policies that violate human rights and democracy, and even remove presidents from office. However, it is also one of the most secretive and least scrutinized institutions in the country. How does it operate behind closed doors? How do its justices make decisions and interact with each other? How does it cope with political pressures and public expectations? These are some of the questions that Marites Dañguilan Vitug, a veteran journalist and author, tries to answer in her groundbreaking book, Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court.
Shadow Of Doubt Probing The Supreme Court PDF.pdf
Introduction
In this book review, I will provide a summary, analysis, and evaluation of Vitug's book. I will first give an overview of what the book is about, who is the author, and why it is important. Then, I will summarize the main contents and arguments of the book. Next, I will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the book, as well as its contribution to the field of judicial politics and comparative law. Finally, I will conclude with some key takeaways from the book, as well as some recommendations for future research and action.
What is the book about?
Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court is a journalistic investigation into the inner workings and dynamics of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. It is based on extensive interviews with current and former justices, court staff, lawyers, academics, journalists, activists, and other stakeholders. It also draws on official documents, court records, media reports, academic studies, and personal observations. The book covers various aspects of the Court's history, structure, processes, culture, personalities, politics, performance, and impact. It reveals how the Court has evolved over time, how it responds to various challenges and opportunities, how it shapes and is shaped by its environment, and how it affects and is affected by public opinion.
Who is the author?
Marites Dañguilan Vitug is a respected journalist and author who has been covering Philippine politics and society for more than three decades. She is currently an editor-at-large at Rappler, an online news platform that specializes in investigative reporting and social media engagement. She was previously an editor-in-chief at Newsbreak, an independent news magazine that published Shadow of Doubt in 2010. She has also written several other books on Philippine politics, such as Power from the Forest: The Politics of Logging, Under the Crescent Moon: Rebellion in Mindanao, and Our Rights, Our Victories: Landmark Cases in the Supreme Court. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her journalism, such as the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation, the Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service Award, and the Philippine National Book Award.
Why is it important?
Shadow of Doubt is an important book for several reasons. First, it is the first of its kind in the country to provide a comprehensive and in-depth look into the Supreme Court as a political institution. It fills a gap in the literature and public knowledge about the Court and its role in society. Second, it is a timely and relevant book that sheds light on the current issues and challenges facing the Court and the judiciary in general. It exposes some of the problems and weaknesses of the Court, such as corruption, nepotism, politicization, inefficiency, lack of transparency, and accountability. It also highlights some of the achievements and strengths of the Court, such as its independence, activism, innovation, and responsiveness. Third, it is a provocative and engaging book that stimulates critical thinking and dialogue about the Court and its future. It raises important questions and offers insightful suggestions for reform and improvement. It also invites readers to reflect on their own views and expectations of the Court and its justices.
Summary of the book
The book consists of 12 chapters, each focusing on a different aspect or theme related to the Supreme Court. The chapters are organized into four parts: Part I: The Institution; Part II: The Justices; Part III: The Decisions; and Part IV: The Future. Here is a brief summary of each chapter:
Chapter 1: The Black Box
This chapter introduces the main topic and purpose of the book: to probe the Supreme Court and reveal what goes on inside its "black box". It explains why the Court is considered a black box: because it is shrouded in secrecy, confidentiality, and mystery. It also explains why it is important to probe the Court: because it is a powerful institution that affects the lives of millions of Filipinos. It then gives an overview of how the author conducted her research and what sources she used. It also provides some background information on the history and structure of the Court.
Chapter 2: The Power Game
This chapter examines how politics influences the Supreme Court, especially in terms of appointments, impeachments, and alliances. It shows how presidents use their power to appoint justices who are loyal, friendly, or ideologically aligned with them. It also shows how justices use their power to influence or resist presidential policies, agendas, or interests. It also shows how impeachments are used as a tool to pressure or remove justices who are perceived as threats or obstacles by political actors. It also shows how alliances are formed or broken among justices based on personal, professional, or political factors.
Chapter 3: The Money Trail
This chapter investigates how money affects the Supreme Court, especially in terms of salaries, benefits, allowances, and perks. It reveals how justices are paid generously compared to other public officials or judges, but also how they face various expenses and pressures that require them to augment their income. It also reveals how justices receive various allowances and perks that are not subject to audit or disclosure, such as travel allowances, representation allowances, book allowances, judicial development funds, extraordinary miscellaneous allowances, etc. It also reveals how some justices engage in questionable or unethical practices to earn extra money, such as accepting bribes, soliciting favors, moonlighting as consultants or lecturers, etc.
Chapter 4: The Family Business
This chapter explores how family ties affect the Supreme Court, especially in terms of nepotism, favoritism, and conflict of interest. It exposes how some justices hire their relatives as staff members or consultants, despite a constitutional ban on nepotism. It also exposes how some justices favor their relatives or friends in cases or matters involving them or their interests. It also exposes how some justices fail to disclose or inhibit themselves from cases or matters where they have a personal or financial stake.
Chapter 5: The Work Ethic
This chapter evaluates how work ethic affects the Supreme Court, especially in terms of productivity, quality, and efficiency. It assesses how justices perform their duties and responsibilities as magistrates, such as writing decisions, conducting hearings, attending sessions, etc. It also assesses how justices Chapter 6: The Bench and the Bar
This chapter analyzes how the relationship between the Supreme Court and the legal profession affects the administration of justice, especially in terms of access, fairness, and integrity. It discusses how the Court regulates and oversees the legal profession, such as setting the standards and rules for admission, discipline, and ethics. It also discusses how the legal profession influences and interacts with the Court, such as filing cases, making arguments, submitting pleadings, etc. It also discusses some of the issues and problems that arise from this relationship, such as corruption, collusion, influence-peddling, etc.
Chapter 7: The Court and Society
This chapter examines how the Supreme Court relates to society and responds to social issues and demands, especially in terms of activism, innovation, and responsiveness. It shows how the Court has become more active and involved in addressing various social problems and concerns, such as human rights violations, environmental degradation, electoral fraud, etc. It also shows how the Court has introduced various innovations and reforms to improve its services and functions, such as issuing writs of amparo and habeas data, creating special courts and committees, adopting new rules and procedures, etc. It also shows how the Court has tried to be more responsive and accountable to the public, such as conducting public consultations, issuing press releases, launching websites, etc.
Chapter 8: The Chief Justice
This chapter focuses on the role and influence of the chief justice as the leader and spokesperson of the Supreme Court. It traces the evolution and development of the position and function of the chief justice over time. It also compares and contrasts the different styles and personalities of the past and present chief justices. It also evaluates the performance and impact of the chief justices on the Court and society.
Chapter 9: The Dissenters
This chapter highlights the role and importance of dissenting opinions in the Supreme Court. It explains why dissenting opinions are valuable and necessary for judicial deliberation and democracy. It also identifies and profiles some of the most notable dissenters in the history of the Court. It also analyzes some of the most influential and controversial dissenting opinions on various issues and cases.
Chapter 10: The Landmark Cases
This chapter reviews some of the most landmark cases decided by the Supreme Court that have shaped Philippine law and society. It categorizes them into four types: constitutional cases, political cases, economic cases, and social cases. It summarizes the facts, issues, arguments, rulings, and implications of each case. It also evaluates the quality and impact of each case on the development of jurisprudence and public policy.
Chapter 11: The Public Perception
This chapter assesses how the public perceives and evaluates the Supreme Court and its justices. It presents the results of various surveys and polls that measure the level of trust, confidence, satisfaction, and approval of the public towards the Court. It also discusses the factors and reasons that affect the public perception of the Court, such as media coverage, political events, social movements, etc.
Chapter 12: The Way Forward
This chapter concludes the book by summarizing the main findings and revelations of the author's probe into the Supreme Court. It also offers some recommendations and suggestions for reform and improvement of the Court and its justices. It also invites the readers to continue probing and engaging with the Court, as well as supporting judicial reform and accountability.
Conclusion
Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court is a remarkable book that provides a rare glimpse into one of the most powerful and secretive institutions in the Philippines. It reveals both the strengths and weaknesses of the Supreme Court as a political institution that affects millions of Filipinos. It challenges both the critics and supporters of the Court to look beyond their biases and prejudices and appreciate its complexity and diversity. It also encourages both the justices and citizens to work together to improve its performance and impact.
This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in Philippine politics, law, and society. It is not only informative but also entertaining and engaging. It is written in a clear, concise, and conversational style that makes it easy to read and understand. It is also supported by credible and reliable sources that make it authoritative and trustworthy. It is also provocative and stimulating that makes it inspiring and influential.
FAQs
Where can I find a PDF version of this book?
You can find a PDF version of this book on the website of Newsbreak, the publisher of the book. Here is the link: https://www.newsbreak.ph/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Shadow-of-Doubt.pdf. You can also buy a hard copy of the book from various online and offline bookstores.
How can I contact the author of this book?
You can contact the author of this book through her email address: marites.vitug@rappler.com. You can also follow her on Twitter: @maritesvitug. You can also visit her website: https://maritesvitug.com/.
What are some other books or articles that are similar to this book?
Some other books or articles that are similar to this book are: - Hour Before Dawn: The Fall and Uncertain Rise of the Philippine Supreme Court by Marites Dañguilan Vitug and Criselda Yabes - The Final Arbiter: The Consequences of Bush v. Gore for Law and Politics edited by Christopher P. Banks, David B. Cohen, and John C. Green - The Politics of Judicial Independence: Courts, Politics, and the Public edited by Bruce Peabody - The Least Dangerous Branch? Consequences of Judicial Activism by Stephen P. Powers and Stanley Rothman - Judicial Review in New Democracies: Constitutional Courts in Asian Cases by Tom Ginsburg
How can I learn more about the Supreme Court of the Philippines and its role in society?
You can learn more about the Supreme Court of the Philippines and its role in society by visiting its official website: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/. You can also follow its official social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc. You can also read its decisions, resolutions, orders, circulars, etc. on its online e-library: https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/. You can also watch its oral arguments, press conferences, ceremonies, etc. on its online streaming service: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-streaming/. You can also join or attend its various programs, activities, events, etc. such as seminars, workshops, lectures, forums, etc.
How can I support judicial reform and accountability in the Philippines?
You can support judicial reform and accountability in the Philippines by being an informed and active citizen. You can educate yourself and others about the role and function of the judiciary in a democracy. You can monitor and evaluate the performance and impact of the judiciary on various issues and cases. You can voice your opinions and feedback on the judiciary through various channels and platforms. You can participate in various initiatives and campaigns that aim to improve the judiciary's services and functions. You can also join or support various organizations and groups that advocate for judicial reform and accountability, such as: - Transparency and Accountability Network - Alternative Law Groups - Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism - Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility - Bantay Korte Suprema - Judicial Reform Initiative - etc. 71b2f0854b