Did the Supreme Court blink?

The Supreme Court could have ruled at once on the motion for reconsideration filed by Noynoy Aquino against its earlier unanimous ruling declaring his Development Acceleration Fund unconstitutional. It did not. Instead it gave the anti-DAP petitioners 10 days to answer Noynoy's motion for reconsideration.

So, has the Supreme Court blinked? For the good of this country, I certainly hope it did not. Because if it did blink and then, God forbid, does the unthinkable, which is to make a complete turnaround from its 13-0 decision, then we can all kiss our future and the future of our children goodbye.

The Supreme Court could have dismissed the motion for reconsideration outright, especially since its original ruling, the ruling that stands as of now, had been a unanimous 13-0. Aside from that, it could have also dismissed the motion outright if it presented no new arguments, as indeed it presented none.

But the Supreme Court did not dismiss the motion for reconsideration outright, sending chills up and down the spines of those who dread the day when the highest court of the land, the final arbiter of justice, will abdicate on its sacred duty and submit to the browbeating by a dangerously impaired personality.

Delaying its ruling sets into motion a lot of speculations and dire scenarios that are not helpful to an already uncertain and dangerous situation. Adding to the anxiety is the fact that by not ruling on the motion outright, the court may have fallen for an initiative that is not rooted in sincerity and good faith.

The motion for reconsideration is just for show. It is nothing but a charade resorted to on second by Noynoy. Having already publicly assailed the decision and branded the Supreme Court as wrong in making it, a motion for reconsideration is farthest from the mind of Noynoy as giving up smoking.

But because Noynoy drew a lot of flak, especially after having threatened the Supreme Court against clashing head-on with him, he was forced to ease up on his bullying and show some semblance of submitting to the rule of law. He has to momentarily rein in his dictatorial tendencies.

Having dictatorial tendencies is a natural consequence of having suffered under a dictatorship. Ask any mind expert. Anybody who suffers pain is likely to inflict the same pain if given the chance. This has always been the stuff of which crime movies are made. The perp is always someone who does what his past did to him.

A better adjusted leader, especially if he is the president, would have swallowed the bitter pill of an adverse Supreme Court ruling and set the example for all his countrymen to see and learn from by accepting the verdict of the highest court of the land.

A better adjusted leader would have immediately seen the enormous and dangerous consequences for the country if he did not submit to an institution bestowed with the sacred duty of functioning as final arbiter of all disputes.

But unfortunately, Noynoy is not on the same level as Al Gore who, in 2000, exhibited all the qualities of a great leader. Gore swallowed his pride, tucked in his pain, and submitted to a US Supreme Court decision that cost him the presidency he clearly won. All for the sake of averting a crisis and preserving his country.

Here in this country, I do not know if we are in for a real political crisis. But I think a real crisis in confidence is already staring us in the face. I don't know the real reason why the Supreme Court is delaying its decision on Noynoy's motion for reconsideration, but whatever it is is not a point in the court's favor.

I do not buy the notion about allowing the original petitioners to comment on the motion considering that the motion does not deviate from petitioner's original position nor argue another case. Everything is as is except that the court has to act anew but has chosen not to, as yet.

Is it according Noynoy some courtesy in deference to his coming State of the Nation Address on Monday? If so, then I can live with that. But if it is for something else, like conditioning the public for something it may not like, then everyone should be jittery. No. Everyone should be very scared. Hope that I am wrong.