(Eagle News) — Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has been named Acting Chief Justice, with Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno taking an indefinite leave starting today, March 1, the Supreme Court said on Thursday.
“After extended deliberations last Tuesday, Feb. 27, 13 of the justices present arrived at a consensus the Chief Justice should take an indefinite leave. After consulting with the two most senior justices, the Chief Justice herself announced she was taking an indefinite leave with the amendment that she start the leave beginning March 1,” SC spokesperson Theodore Te said, reading from the en banc statement.
In issuing the statement, the SC effectively belied Sereno’s spokespersons’ statements hers was merely a “wellness leave” which was already scheduled beforehand.
The SC slammed their statements, saying they “seriously damaged the integrity of the judiciary in general and the SC in particular.”
“This matter shall be dealt with in a separate proceeding,” Te said.
