Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday said he would accept his nomination as Chief Justice of the Philippines.
\n\u201cI will not turn down any challenge to lead the judiciary if given the opportunity,\u201d Carpio told reporters after speaking at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Central Luzon regional convention in Clark Freeport, Pampanga.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s part of my work,\u201d Carpio said. \u201cThere\u2019s no reason for me to depart from my work.\u201d
\nIn his speech, Carpio spoke about reforms needed in the judiciary that, it is now understood, he would introduce if named Chief Justice.
\nCarpio spoke about the need to decongest the dockets, integrity and independence of judges, transparency and accountability in the judiciary, infrastructure needs of the judiciary, compensation of judges, court administration, and training for judges.
\nOf those, clogged dockets should get priority attention because delays in trial and decision \u201cimpair social justice, hinder economic development and erode public confidence in the justice system and ultimately in the entire government,\u201d Carpio said.
\nCase management
\nTo end this problem, Carpio suggested the adoption of a computerized case management system for all courts. The Court of Appeals has adopted the system, he said, and it has proved to be a success.
\nCarpio also recommended the creation of permanent administrative tribunals to expedite cases involving judges and justices. At present, he said, only temporary investigative bodies handle such cases.
\n\u201cThe leaders of the judiciary must lead by example,\u201d Carpio said. The Chief Justice and associate justices, he said, must be the \u201cembodiment of integrity and independence\u201d\u2014models for the rest of the judiciary to follow.
\nHe said the JBC \u201cmust give greater weight to decisions of applicants who seek promotion to the judiciary,\u201d as these are \u201cevidence of the competence, integrity and independence of judges and justices.\u201d
\nAutomatically nominated
\nAsked if he would seize the opportunity if nominated, Carpio replied, \u201cAbangan [Just wait for it].\u201d
\nCarpio has not been nominated by anyone, but as the most senior Supreme Court justice he is automatically nominated together with the next four most senior justices on the court: Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta. Of the five, only Brion has accepted his nomination.
\nThe Judicial and Bar Council\u2019s deadline for the nomination and application for the position of Chief Justice is on Monday, July 2.
\nABS-CBN News on Friday quoted Carpio as saying he would send his acceptance to the JBC in time for the deadline.
\nCarpio has been serving as acting Chief Justice sinceMay 29, when the Senate removed Renato Corona from office after a 44-day impeachment trial. Corona was convicted of culpable violation of the Constitution by not declaring $2.4 million and P80 million in bank deposits.
\nAsked how nominees and candidates for Chief Justice should be screened and chosen, Carpio replied: \u201cYou have to look at the record of a candidate. All of us (Supreme Court justices) are appointed by the President. But it doesn\u2019t mean that all those appointed by the President are loyal to him. They should be loyal to the Constitution.\u201d
\nAsked if political factors could affect the choice, Carpio said: \u201cNone so far. We\u2019re very tranquil about these things.\u201d
\nMarquez nominated
\nMeanwhile, the Supreme Court\u2019s most senior career officer, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, has become the latest to be nominated as Chief Justice.
\nMarquez has been nominated by a certain Egay Bigay, who also has nominated Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.
\nLike Ochoa, Marquez also declined his nomination.
\n\u201cThank you for the nomination, but I will have to decline,\u201d Marquez said yesterday in a text message to reporters. \u201cI lack the wisdom, qualities and experience to be a Chief Justice.\u201d
\nAccording to the JBC list issued at 3:45 p.m. yesterday, the number of individuals who had applied and who had accepted nominations for Chief Justice stood at 16.
\nThe latest to accept a nomination was University of the East law school dean Amado Valdez.
\nAquino gets list July 30
\nSen. Francis Escudero, one of four ex-officio members of the JBC, said on Thursday that he expected the number of aspirants to climb as the deadline neared.
\n\u201cThere will be more nominees and more applicants, which is good so that we have more choices,\u201d Escudero told reporters after he addressed the IBP-Central Luzon chapter\u2019s convention at Clark.
\nAt the close of the July 2 deadline, the JBC will publish the names of the qualified aspirants, Escudero said. The aspirants will be interviewed and made to submit requirements.
\nEscudero said he would require the aspirants to sign waivers that would allow the government to inquire into their bank deposits and records.
\nWhen these are completed, he said, the JBC would deliberate, vote and submit to President Aquino a list of at least three nominees on July 30. Mr. Aquino will choose the next Chief Justice from that list.
\nChavez\u2019s challenge
\nEscudero said the JBC would continue working unless stopped by the Supreme Court on the question of composition.
\nFormer Solicitor General Francisco Chavez is questioning the presence of two congressional representatives\u2014one from the Senate, the other from the House of Representatives\u2014in the JBC when the Constitution requires only one.
\nEscudero dared Chavez to raise the question to the Supreme Court. Chavez has said he will.
\nEscudero welcomed the prospect of a tussle in the Supreme Court. \u201cAt least this issue would be clarified,\u201d he said in Filipino. \u201cI have no problem with this and I will abide by whatever decision is reached.\u201d
\nStill reluctant
\nJustice Secretary Leila de Lima, one of the nominees, said she could not decide whether or not to accept her nomination. She had said she could not imagine herself being a member of a collegial body, but she was \u201chesitant, reluctant\u201d to accept or decline her nomination.
\nLawyer Roan Libarios, president of the IBP, said the organization was looking at the leadership qualities of the nominees and applicants.
\n\u201cIf there is a big resentment against him, he cannot be an effective leader of the judiciary, he cannot inspire reforms,\u201d Libarios said. \u201cHe should be someone who could unify the judiciary, not divide it.\u201d With a report from Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon<\/p>\n