CORONA: Next SC chief? and CARPIO: Acting CJ
MANILA, Philippines - The senior magistrate vying for the top judicial post will temporarily sit as head of the Supreme Court a day after a majority of his colleagues voted against his position that President Arroyo cannot appoint the successor of the chief justice.
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio was designated as acting chief justice, temporarily replacing Chief Justice Reynato Puno who is on sabbatical and wellness leave until the end of this month.
Carpio was also tapped as acting chairman of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET).
Puno assigned Carpio to head the High Court with the “authority to exercise the powers and prerogatives of and pertaining to the position of chief justice on matters that cannot wait for the chief justice.”
Carpio, a contender for the chief justice post, earlier accepted his nomination on the condition that the next President would make the appointment.
He will serve as acting chief justice until Puno reports back to work for the summer session of the High Court in Baguio after Holy Week.
Earlier, Puno said he decided to take a break from the judiciary to make use of his remaining wellness and sabbatical leave before he retires on May 17.
Puno is expected to skip two full Court sessions, on March 23 and 30, where the Court is expected to discuss appeals of its ruling giving Mrs. Arroyo the power to appoint the next chief justice despite a constitutional ban on midnight appointments.
Under the rules, an acting chief justice is designated when the chief justice is on leave or on official trip abroad. The second most senior magistrate is assigned acting chief justice under court tradition. – Edu Punay
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