Magistrates of the Supreme Court are impartial in the court of law and justice, but they have shown their bias in the court of basketball.
This came after Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta made a fearless forecast that it will be University of Santo Tomas’ Growling Tigers versus the Ateneo de Manila’s Blue Eagles in the coming University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 finals.
When asked of what he thought about the upcoming semifinal fight between UST and the University of the Philippines, Peralta, a true Thomasian, said: “Wala naman laban ‘yung UP.”
Peralta, the 26th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was a working student and graduated from the UST Faculty of Civil Law in 1979, and later taught at his alma mater.
“Dalawang beses na natalo and UP,” Peralta told reporters during his first press conference as chief justice.
Peralta said perhaps even before the end of first half it will already be obvious that UP will lose.
“Baka first half pa lang, alam mo na talo ang UP…Kaya lang baka may tsamba. ‘Yun ang delikado,” he said adding that Ateneo is also hoping that the UST Growling Tigers will be defeated.
However, Associate Justice Marvic Leonen strongly dissented.
“I am confident that the true facts of this controversy will be proven without a shadow of the doubt within the next few days,” he tweeted.
Leonen, a graduate of the UP College of Law and also served as UP Law Dean, even used the hashtag #UPFight.
In the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Basketball Semifinals, only three teams remain namely, the UST Growling Tigers, UP Fighting Maroons, and Ateneo’s Blue Eagles.
The defending champion Ateneo is already waiting for its challenger, whether its UST or UP.