Another Supreme Court post vacant as Quisumbing retires

MANILA, Philippines - Senior Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing has retired, leaving another vacant post in the Supreme Court (SC).

Quisumbing, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 today, served the judiciary for almost 12 years.

He was appointed to the SC on Jan. 15, 1998.

The SC now has two vacancies as Malacañang has yet to name a replacement for Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares–Santiago who retired last Oct. 5.

The Judicial and Bar Council continued yesterday public interviews for SC hopefuls, including Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr.

During the interview at 10 a.m., Locsin told the JBC panel led by Chief Justice Reynato Puno that he would not join next year’s elections, although former President Joseph Estrada offered him a slot in his senatorial slate as a “gesture of friendship.”

When asked why he applied for the vacant SC slot, Locsin said he has already done his best in the legislature for nine years.

“What I would wish to contribute is one, to bring to the decisions of the court the knowledge and insights I gained from my work in the legislature to see in what respect the legislature must be blindly adhered to, in what respect it might have to be tempered in its pronouncements, again always with due sense of modesty being a co-equal branch of government,” he said.

Locsin believes that he would not encounter pressure in the SC as much as he did in Congress.

“The Court has a more serene atmosphere,” he said.

“I can understand how pressures can be brought to bear but those pressures I would say are held back by the knowledge that they really tread on dangerous grounds if they try to pressure a justice or a judge for that matter.”

The JBC has 14 new applicants to interview for the vacancies left by Quisumbing and that of Associate Justice Minita Chico–Nazario, who retires on Dec. 5.

A total of 22 other qualified applicants will also be considered for the two vacancies, the JBC said.

Also yesterday, three newly appointed Court of Appeals justices took their oath before Chief Justice Puno at the SC.

They are Justices Agnes Carpio, Ramon Cruz, and Edwin Sorongon.

Carpio, 61, served as judge in various regional trial courts in Metro Manila. She was a Judge at the Pasig City RTC, Branch 261 from 1999 up to the time she was named to the CA; detailed at the Manila RTC, Branch 17, from 1998 to 1999; and later on at the Parañaque RTC, Branch 257.

From 1994 to 1995, she served the Tagum City RTC, Branch 1, from 1994 to 1995.

Carpio, who was a prosecutor in Quezon City from 1986 to 1991, started as a laborer at the City Court in Davao City in 1963, then rose to being a clerical aide, cash clerk, and later on, as legal researcher/special counsel designate.

In 1976, she was named special counsel at the Davao City Fiscal’s Office, and served until 1986.

She finished law at the University of Manila in 1973.

Cruz, 50, was an RTC judge from 1999 in Naga City, and later on in Quezon City up to the time he was named to the CA.

Before joining the judiciary, he was a private practitioner, specializing in counseling and litigation.

Cruz teaches remedial law at his alma mater, University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City, his hometown.

He is also a lecturer in seminars sponsored by the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.

He graduated with an AB Political Science degree from the UNC.

Fifty-three year old Justice Edwin Da-Anoy Sorongon finished law at the University of San Agustin in 1979.

He was presiding judge of Mandaluyong City RTC, Branch 214 since 1997 and until he was named to the CA.

He joined the government in 1986 as assistant provincial fiscal.