MANILA — Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, 68, on Friday formally accepted his inclusion on the shortlist of nominees for Chief Justice.
The Supreme Court (SC) Public Information Office, quoting Carpio’s Judicial Staff head, lawyer Maria Teresa Sibulo, said the magistrate has accepted his automatic nomination for head magistrate.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said they extended to Oct. 26 the deadline for the application period for the position of Supreme Court Chief Justice, which has been vacated by Teresita J. Leonardo-de Castro, who retired last Oct. 10.
The JBC has originally set the deadline for the application or recommendation to the post of SC Chief Justice on October 15.
SC Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo , meanwhile, declined his automatic nomination being one of the five most senior Associate Justices to the post of Chief Justice.
In his letter dated Oct. 12, to the JBC, del Castillo stated: “I am honored to be automatically nominated to the post of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. My compulsory retirement next year, however, compels me to respectfully decline the nomination. I foresee that, as Chairperson of the 2018 Bar Examinations, my work will extend to the months just prior to my retirement. That will leave me not much time to embark on notable projects that a Chief Justice will normally want to have an imprint on.”
Del Castillo will mandatorily retire as he turns 70 on July 29 next year. (Benjamin Pulta/PNA)
