MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte defending his decision to appoint Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro as the new chief justice, citing the high court's tradition of following seniority.
On Saturday, Justice Secretary and Judicial and Bar Council member Menardo Guevarra confirmed that Duetrte has picked De Castro as the country's new top magistrate.
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"Whoever goes first will be promoted first amd that would go for everybody," Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview after the National Heroes' Day rites in Taguig City.
The president stressed that there was no "political color" included in his decision to choose De Castro, who will be retiring in less than two months.
Duterte added that he is not familiar with any of the candidates for the chief justice post.
"Truthfully, I have never talked to anyone there. I do not know anyone. They are all strangers to me, remember that I did not practice (law) in Manila," Duterte said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said De Castro was the "best choice" for the high court's top post.
The Malacañang spokesman, however, insisted that De Castro's appointment as chief justice was not a reward for helping to oust Maria Lourdes Sereno. Sereno's position was voided by her colleague through a quo warranto. De Castro also testified before the House of Representatives when it took up impeachment complaints against Sereno, known for her critical stance against some of Duterte's pronouncements.
“PRRD (President Rodrigo Duterte) upheld judicial professionalism by appointing the most senior of aspirants,” Roque said in a statement released Sunday. — Patricia Lourdes Viray