SC withdraws Sereno's controversial order

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court on Tuesday withdrew the controversial resolution issued by Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno in connection with the revival of the Regional Court Administration Office in Central Visayas.

This was the "consensus" of the justices of the SC during their last en banc session for this year.

Sereno also attended the deliberation of the SC en banc after she did not make it in the en banc session last week.

In an earlier memorandum, Senior Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro called for the withdrawal of the resolution citing it was illegal and that it was neither ratified nor approved by the justices in their en banc session on Nov. 27, 2012.

De Castro said that Sereno has no authority to create the Judiciary Decentralized Office and deprive the highest court of the land the opportunity to perform its constitutional duty to supervise all the courts nationwide.

Tthe SC also designated Associate Justice Jose Perez to head a group that would study whether it is fitting and proper to revive the RCAO.