Carpio, Leonen decline nomination to SC Chief Justice post
Robie de Guzman • August 20, 2019 • 339
(L-R) Supreme Court Senior Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Marvic Leonen
MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court Senior Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Marvic Leonen have declined their respective nominations for the chief justice post, the Supreme Court (SC) said on Tuesday.
The SC Public Information Office (PIO) confirmed this on its official Twitter account.
“Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio and Associate Justice Marvic MVF Leonen have declined their respective nominations as Chief Justice,” it said.
Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio and Associate Justice Marvic MVF Leonen have declined their respective nominations as Chief Justice vice CJ Lucas P. Bersamin who will compulsorily retire on October 18, 2019.
The SC said Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin is set to retire on October 18.
In a message to reporters, Carpio said he declined his nomination as he will also retire in October when he reaches the compulsory retirement age of 70.
Carpio has been serving the judiciary for 18 years.
Leonen on Monday said he also rejected his nomination to the SC top post but did not cite his reasons.
“There is no requirement to state our reasons for declining the nomination. For now, in my considered judgement, my decision is the right thing to do. I will be able to do what I do best for our people in my current position at this time,” he said in a statement.
He, however, gave assurance that he would be supportive of the next chief of the high court.
“As always, I am committed to giving my support to whoever is constitutionally appointed as the next chief justice,” he said.
Leonen, 56, is one of the most senior SC justices who are qualified for automatic nomination for the position.
Aside from Carpio and Leonen, other magistrates who are automatically nominated for the post are Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, Associate Justices Estella Perlas-Bernabe and Benjamin Caguioa.
The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has set August 20 for the deadline for applications and acceptance of nomination for the chief justice post.
President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin as the new chairperson of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Bersamin will replace Ronald Macasaet, who acted as GSIS officer-in-charge.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, the government is confident that Bersamin will be able to perform his duties as the new GSIS chair.
“We are confident that Mr. Bersamin would serve the GSIS with the same dedication and integrity he demonstrated in his many years of government service,” he said in a statement.
Bersamin is also named as a member of the Board of Trustees of the GSIS.—AAC
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte named Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta as the new chief justice of the Supreme Court, Malacañang said Wednesday.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed that Duterte signed Peralta’s appointment paper on Wednesday in a message to reporters.
Peralta will be replacing Lucas Bersamin, who retired last week after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Peralta beat Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Andres Reyes Jr. who were also shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for the post.
Peralta and Perlas-Bernabe both got seven votes while Reyes received four votes.
Among the three candidates for the post, Peralta is the most senior justice in terms of the number of years in the Judiciary.
Justice Peralta is an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, the Supreme Court said in a statement.
Born in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Peralta started his career in government service when he was appointed Third Assistant City Fiscal in 1987 then went on to become a trial court judge and later a Sandiganbayan Justice before he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2009.
Prior to his SC appointment, he was a professor, lecturer, resource person, and Bar reviewer in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Remedial Law, and Trial Techniques in various universities.
Peralta will be sitting as the chief magistrate until he retires at the age of 70 on March 27, 2022.
MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Diosdado Peralta got top votes from the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) in its shortlist for the next chief justice.
According to a copy of the shortlist released by the SC’s Public Information Office on Tuesday, October 15, both Bernabe and Peralta got seven votes.
Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr., meanwhile, got four votes from JBC members while Associate Justice Jose Reyes received one vote.
The chief justice position will be vacated when CJ Lucas Bersamin reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 on October 18.
Bersamin was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as chief justice on November 28, 2018.
The shortlist has been submitted by the JBC to Duterte for choosing.
Under the Philippine Constitution, Duterte has 90 days to pick the next SC top magistrate.
UNTV is a major TV broadcast network with 24-hour programming. An Ultra High Frequency station with strong brand content that appeal to everyone, UNTV is one of the most trusted and successful Philippine networks that guarantees wholesome and quality viewing experience.
