It is essential to note that a “political court” is different from an “independent court.

” As a
political body, the Court does not engage in partisan activity.3 Instead, the political court
exercises the “discretionary powers of a legislature.”4 An independent court, on the contrary,
ably settles controversies regardless of the personalities involved. 5 A political court necessarily
results from the “judicialization of politics” 6 or the Court’s judicial power to deal with
constitutional law, while an independent court is a consequence of the justices’ own volition.
Lastly, a political court does not necessarily define the Judiciary as an institution, while an
independent court defines the legitimacy of the Judiciary as an institution.7 This Article attempts
to answer whether the Supreme Court of the Philippines, when it functions as a political body, is
able to maintain institutional legitimacy as an independent branch of government. It is argued
that the “judicialization of politics” “should only be accelerated when judicial institutions are
accorded more respect or legitimacy than other