Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court, by Marites Vitug, is the first book to lift the veil off the elusive Philippine Supreme Court. It looks at the inner workings of the Court, the least scrutinized of the three branches of government, including how the Justices arrive at decisions and the dynamics between the Supreme Court and the executive branch. The secrecy surrounding the Court has a direct impact on the quality of appointments. Vitug writes that loyalty to the appointing power is more important than merit in selecting people for the Supreme Court in the Philippines.