SC Justice Baltazar-Padilla retires at 62
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has accepted the early retirement of Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla who was appointed only in July, its Public Information Office said Tuesday.
“The court approved the application for disability retirement of Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla, effective today, 3 November 2020,” the SC PIO said in a statement.
The SC did not provide other details on the retirement of Baltazar-Padilla who is only 62 years old. She would still have eight years to serve at the SC.
During her public interview with the Judicial and Bar Council on May 28, Baltazar-Padilla was asked on her health status.
Retired Judge Franklin Demonteverde noted that Baltazar-Padilla was declared by a physician to be physically fit, her chest x-ray found that she has atheromatous aorta.
She told the panel that she was certified to be in good health and would not experience problems in rendering her duties should she be appointed to the high court.
The SC has not disclosed whether Baltazar-Padilla has earlier sought leave but she has not participated in the court’s voting in cases tackled in August, such as ABS-CBN’s petition against the National Telecommunications Commission’s order.
Baltazar-Padilla is the 188th associate justice of the SC. President Rodrigo Duterte appointed her to the high court in July 2020.
Her retirement from the SC opens up another vacancy for Duterte to fill. Eleven out of the 15 justices of the SC has been appointed by Duterte, who also picked the current top judge, Chief Justice Diosdaro Peralta.
The president has 90 days to appoint the next SC justice.
- Latest
- Trending
