By Rey Panaligan
Despite his public pronouncement that he will decline any nomination for the Chief Justice post, Senior Justice and Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio was recommended yesterday to the top judicial post by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
Through its national president Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo, the IBP said:
“Associate Justice Antonio Carpio is the most senior of all the incumbent justices in the Supreme Court and is most qualified to lead and manage the Supreme Court and the entire Philippine judiciary.”
It also asked President Duterte to respect the seniority rule in the judiciary. It said:
“We support the return to, and the recognition of the wisdom, of the long-standing tradition of seniority in the appointment to the highest office of the judiciary, the Supreme Court Chief Justice.”
Acting Chief Justice Carpio could not be contacted for comment. At press time, he was presiding over the oral arguments on the petition for same-sex marriage.
Earlier, Carpio had said he will decline all nominations for him to be the next Chief Justice.
