By Kenneth Paciente
In a special en banc session, the Supreme Court (SC) convened on Thursday for the retirement ceremony of outgoing Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta.
Most of the attendees participated in the ceremony online to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. Associate Justice Marvic Leonen presided over the ceremony held via Zoom.
As he bows out of 34 years in public service, 12 of which were spent at the high court, Peralta received tokens of appreciation from his colleagues.
Associate Justice (AJ) Jhosep Lopez presented him with the Supreme Court flag, AJ Ricardo Rosario gave him the Philippine flag, while AJs Samuel Gaerlan and Edgardo delos Santos respectively presented him with a Supreme Court pin and timepiece.
Peralta also received tokens from other justices, including a photo album, book of decisions, and a Supreme Court seal, among others.
Senior Associate Justice (SAJ) Estela Perlas-Bernabe gave Peralta the Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos Award for his “exceptional honor, wisdom, and courage in selfless pursuit of truth and justice.”
“I add my voice to the many others who expressed their resounding gratitude for all of our Chief Justice’s invaluable contributions to the judiciary and the collective pursuit of meaningful justice and the rule of law in our country.” Perlas-Bernabe said.
In his speech, Peralta thanked all the people he worked with during his stint in the SC and for all the trust and support they have given him.
Peralta also pointed out that “he was able to finish almost all of his 10-point program despite the pandemic.”
He also looked back at some reforms he had brought about, including the improvement of security of judges and justices, automation of court processes, and elimination of backlogs, among others.
“I leave the Supreme Court without any regrets, I have done everything to leave behind a better and improved judiciary,” Peralta said.
Peralta is set to retire on March 27, and while waiting for the announcement of his successor, SAJ Estela Perlas-Bernabe will be the acting Chief Justice of the High Tribunal.
“Last day of CJ Peralta is tomorrow. So if no new appointee yet after tomorrow, SAJ Bernabe becomes Acting CJ starting Saturday,” Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said.
