Saturday, August 25, 2012

Sereno takes oath as the first woman Chief Justice

MANILA, Philippines—Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno took her oath before President Benigno Aquino in Malacañang Saturday morning, without the senior justices of the Supreme Court.

Apart from Sereno’s family, academicians and Cabinet officials, only Supreme Court Justices Martin Villarama Jr., Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Mariano del Castillo and Bienvenido Reyes turned up at her oath-taking in the Palace.

Besides appointing Sereno as the Philippine’s first woman chief justice, Aquino also broke tradition by not picking the head of the judiciary from among the five most senior justices of the Supreme Court. In seniority, Sereno ranks 13th among the 14 justices on the court. Aquino still has to appoint a 15th member.

The five top senior justices are Antonio Carpio, who acted as chief justice after Renato Corona was removed by impeachment last May 29, Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta (who declined his nomination for chief justice).

Other candidates on the short list submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council to the President were Carpio, De Castro, Brion and Associate Justice Roberto Abad, along with Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, former representative Ronaldo Zamora and former Ateneo College of Law dean Cesar Villanueva.

Carpio, De Castro, Brion, Abad, Velasco and Peralta were absent from Sereno’s oath-taking, and so were Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez and Jose Mendoza.

Strategic Communication Secretary Ricky Carandang refused to read any meaning in their absence.

“I don’t think it’s fair to speculate in that way,” Carandang said when reporters asked him if he thought the absence of the senior justices meant they were not taking Sereno’s appointment well.  “As far as I know Sereno’s appointment was very widely viewed as a positive development.”

He added that Sereno was a “person of competence and integrity who, we all hope, will reform the judiciary and make it more responsive to the needs of ordinary people.”

Aquino administered the oath to Sereno, who entered Rizal Hall beaming, in simple, brief rites at around 10 a.m. Saturday. Her husband Mario Jose Sereno, daughter Sophia and son Jose Lorenzo stood behind her.

Also on hand to witness the oath-taking were former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Carandang, and Sereno’s former colleagues at the University of the Philippines’ College of Law, among others.

Sereno, who at 52 has 18  years to serve as chief magistrate, declined media interviews.

She later stopped by the wake for the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who perished in a plane crash in Masbate last Saturday afternoon, at the Kalayaan Hall.

Hours after Aquino received Robredo’s remains for a two-day wake on Friday, Malacañang afternoon announced Sereno’s appointment, three days ahead of the 90-day deadline that ends Monday.

De Lima, supposedly Malacañang’s “bet’’ for the top Supreme Court post until she was disqualified by the JBC because of a pending administrative case, praised Sereno’s appointment.

“She’s an excellent choice. She’ll be a very good CJ. Her youth, her dynamism and her brilliance would go a long way in ensuring that we can look forward to a judiciary that would be worthy of  the people’s trust,” she told reporters on her way out of the Kalayaan Hall.

After Sereno had her picture taken with the Cabinet officials, De Lima bussed and hugged the new chief justice.

“I congratulated her and then I said that [the] Supreme Court will now be in good hands,” De Lima recalled telling Sereno. “I have no rancor, whatsoever. I just said my piece when the JBC decided to disqualify me… After saying my piece, there was no rancor.”

When told that she could have been in Sereno’s shoes, De Lima let out a laugh and said: “That’s how it is. I guess I did my best in convincing my colleagues in the JBC. It’s just that there were obstacles. That disqualification was one obstacle I did not anticipate.”

Justice Villarama welcomed Sereno’s appointment. “I think she would be a good chief justice, given her talent and integrity. “I wish her luck,” he said in an interview.

He said the other justices failed to make it to the oath-taking because they were in out-of-town “lecture engagements.”  He was confident all the justices would throw their support behind her.

“The court would welcome the new chief justice. We’ll try to cooperate,” he said. “We are all mature; we know what we’re doing. I guess if there is some dissatisfaction, I guess we can solve that; we can support the chief justice.”

If there’s any reform that Sereno should concentrate on, it should be “speeding up the resolution of cases” because of the growing backlog, Villarama said. “Reform should be geared toward that,” he added.

“Let’s give her time and prove her worth.”

No comments:

Post a Comment

..Into it? Please leave a comment!

Labels

Dolphy (35) Philippines (32) Manny Pacquiao (28) Manny (25) Boxing (24) Pacquiao (24) Pnoy (23) Video (23) Robredo (19) DILG (18) Jesse Robredo (16) Aquino (15) Masbate (15) Tim (14) Cebu (13) Jessica Sanchez (13) Pres. Aquino (13) ABS-CBN (12) Bradley (12) Pinoy (12) X Factor Philippines (12) American Idol (11) Plane crash (11) Tim Bradley (11) Mon Tulfo (10) PBA (10) X Factor (10) Filipino (9) Manila (9) Timothy Bradley (9) Basketball (8) Bob Arum (8) Eat Bulaga (8) Erwin Tulfo (7) Leni Robredo (7) Raffy Tulfo (7) TV5 (7) Ben Tulfo (6) Gloria Arroyo (6) Jesse (6) KC Concepcion (6) Music Video (6) Quizon (6) Timothy (6) Ateneo (5) Carabuena (5) Charice Pempengco (5) Chris Tiu (5) Concert (5) Eulogy (5) Gangnam Style (5) KZ Tandingan (5) Lourd de Veyra (5) NBA (5) Naga City (5) OPM (5) Phillip Phillips (5) Smart Gilas (5) Supreme Court (5) Tito Sotto (5) Vic Sotto (5) Zsa Zsa Padilla (5) 2012 (4) Annabelle Rama (4) Apple (4) Capt. Bahinting (4) Champion (4) China (4) Chiz Escudero (4) Death (4) Derek Ramsay (4) Documentary (4) Dolphy Quizon (4) Earthquake (4) GMA (4) Japan (4) Joey de Leon (4) Juan Manuel (4) Kris Aquino (4) Lourd (4) Manny Pangilinan (4) Manuel Marquez (4) Mar Roxas (4) Marquez (4) Mayweather (4) Mobile phone (4) Ninoy (4) Ninoy Aquino (4) PBA Draft (4) President (4) Raymart Santiago (4) Replay (4) Robert Carabuena (4) Rondo (4) Sec. Jesse Robredo (4) Toshiaki Nishioka (4) Tulfo (4) UK (4) US (4) Zsa Zsa (4) 33rd Anniversary (3) Anabelle Rama (3) Angelica Panganiban (3) Anne Curtis (3) Asia (3) Ate Gay (3) Blue Eagles (3) Boy 2 (3) Celtics (3) Charice (3) Charlie Watts (3) Chito Alcid (3) Chiz (3) Comedy Bar (3) Congressman (3) Corona (3) Eric Quizon (3) Eugene Domingo (3) FIBA (3) FIBA Asia 2012 (3) Floyd (3) Floyd Mayweather (3) Heart Evangelista (3) Jacintha (3) Jinkee (3) Jones Cup 2012 (3) Jose and Wally (3) Kate (3) Kris (3) Mac (3) Marcos (3) Maria Lourdes Sereno (3) Mexico (3) Miami Heat (3) Mindanao (3) News (3) Noli de Castro (3) Nonito Donaire (3) Noynoy Aquino (3) Nurse (3) Olympics 2012 (3) Pacman (3) Patricia Robredo (3) Philippines Tragedy (3) Piolo Pascual (3) Prank call (3) Prsident Aquino (3) RH Bill (3) Raymart (3) Roxas (3) SMART- Gilas (3) Senator (3) Sept. 1 (3) Sereno (3) Sotto (3) USA (3) UST (3) WBO (3) WBO Title (3) Wil Time Big Time (3) Willie Revillame (3) Word of the Lourd (3) iPhone 5 (3) suicide (3) 6th round (2) Actress (2) Allan K. (2) Anti-China (2) Araneta Coliseum (2) Australia (2) Australian DJ (2) Bamboo (2) Barriga (2) Beatles (2) Bench (2) Benigno (2) Blair (2) Blast (2) Boston Celtics (2) Boy 2 Quizon (2) Break up (2) Celebrity (2) Chief Jusice (2) Chief Justice (2) Chinese Taipei (2) Chris (2) Claudine (2) Claudine Barreto (2) Coach (2) Comedy (2) Corruption (2) Cory Aquino (2) Court of Appeals (2) Dave Grohl (2) Derek (2) Donaire (2) Eat Bulaga Indonesia (2) Entertainment (2) FIBA 2012 (2) Filipino boxer (2) Freddie Roach (2) Funny (2) GMA 7 (2) GMA News (2) GMA-7 (2) GMA7 (2) Gary V. (2) Gerald Anderson (2) Ginebra (2) Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo (2) Growling Tigers (2) Heart (2) Heat (2) Hollywood (2) IBF (2) India (2) Indonesia (2) Interview (2) John Lloyd Cruz (2) Jonas Brothers (2) Jones Cup (2) Jones Cup 2012 Championship (2) Jose (2) Joshua Ledet (2) Judy Ann Santos (2) Junemar Fajardo (2) Kate Middleton (2) Kevin Garnett (2) Knock out (2) Korea (2) Korean Rapper (2) LA Tenorio (2) Lady Gaga (2) Legacy (2) Little Miss Philippines 2012 (2) Live (2) London Olympics (2) MILF (2) MMDA (2) MMDA Enforcer (2) MMDA Traffic Enforcer (2) MVP (2) Malacanang (2) Miami (2) Movie (2) Naga (2) Nevada (2) Nonito Donaire Jr. (2) Norman Black (2) Noynoy (2) OFW (2) Oklahoma (2) Oprah (2) Osang (2) PSY (2) Pacquiao- Marquez 4 (2) Paul Pierce (2) Philippine Politics (2) Pidol (2) Pinoy Celebrity (2) Post Fight (2) Prince William (2) Rajon Rondo (2) Rematch (2) Renato Corona (2) Ringo Starr (2) Rufa Mae (2) Rufa Mae Quinto (2) Ruffa Guttierez (2) Ryzza Dizon (2) Samar (2) San Juan (2) Sarah Geronimo (2) Sec. Robredo (2) Sen. Sotto (2) Sen. Tito Sotto (2) Senate (2) Sharon Cuneta (2) Split (2) Split decision (2) Stand up comedian (2) Steve Tyler (2) TV Patrol (2) Tenorio (2) Thinner (2) Thunder (2) Tiu (2) UAAP (2) Vandolph (2) Video Display (2) Wally (2) Wasak (2) X Factor Grand Finals (2) $1M (1) 13 (1) 2013 Elections (1) 24 Oras (1) 30 (1) 35th Gawad Urian (1) 36 (1) 3rd death anniversary (1) 5 Peat (1) 5 in a row (1) 57 (1) 7.6 Magnitude (1) 7.7 Magnitude (1) ADMU (1) AKTV 13 (1) ANC (1) ARM (1) Abrazado (1) Abueva (1) Activist (1) Adam Levine (1) Adventist (1) Aftershocks (1) Aga Mulach (1) Aika (1) Aika Robredo (1) Ako Bicol (1) All at once (1) Allen (1) America (1) Amy (1) Amy Perez (1) Anabelle (1) Anabelle Rama. Rama (1) Android (1) Android Phones (1) Angel Aquino (1) Angelica (1) Angus (1) Angus T. Jones (1) Anne (1) Annebisyosa (1) Apo hiking society (1) Apple shops (1) Archdiocese (1) Archer (1) Arnel Pineda (1) Arroyo (1) Arum (1) Asian (1) Assasination (1) Associate Justice (1) Audio (1) Australian (1) Aviatour (1) Award (1) B-Meg (1) BIR (1) Baguio (1) Bahinting (1) Balita (1) Barangay Ginebra (1) Barrack Obama (1) Barreto (1) Beastie Boys (1) Beautiful stars (1) Beijing (1) Ben (1) Benguet (1) Benigno Aquino III (1) Best Actor (1) Best Actress (1) Bianca Manalo (1) Big Dome (1) Big J (1) Billboards (1) Billiard (1) Birhday (1) Black (1) Blogger (1) Bloggers (1) Bmeg (1) Board Exam (1) Bob (1) Bomb (1) Bong Revilla (1) Boston (1) Brian Viloria (1) Britain (1) Brod Pete (1) Bunawan (1) Burial rites (1) CEO (1) CPDRC (1) Cagayan de Oro (1) Callalily (1) Canada (1) Captain America (1) Caridad Tulfo (1) Carmina Villaroel (1) Cebu City (1) Cebu divers (1) Celebrities (1) Celine Dion (1) Chad Kinis (1) Chairman (1) Championship belt (1) Charlene Gonzalez (1) Christian Bautista (1) Ciara Sotto (1) Cinemalaya (1) Claudin Barreto (1) Co-pilot (1) Coco Martin (1) College (1) Comedy King (1) Comelec (1) Comment (1) Concert Tour (1) Congresswoman (1) Consolacion (1) Conspiracy theory (1) Controversial (1) Cory (1) Country (1) Crash plane (1) Creed (1) Cris (1) Cris Kesz Valdez (1) Crocodile (1) Cry (1) Cyber (1) Cyber Law (1) Cyber crime (1) Cybercrime (1) Cybercrime law (1) DILG Secretary (1) DOTC (1) Daddy's Home. Allen (1) Dance (1) Davao (1) Davao del Sur (1) David Letterman (1) Dawn Zulueta (1) Debate (1) Democratic Convention (1) Denver Cuello (1) Derek Ramsey (1) Device (1) Digram (1) Dionisia (1) Director (1) Disaster (1) Dish (1) Disqualified (1) Divers (1) Dolphy Jr. (1) Don Henley (1) Dong (1) Dong Abay (1) Draft (1) Drummer (1) Drummers (1) Duet (1) Duterte (1) Dwyane Wade (1) Dwyane Wade. Lebron James (1) EB 33 (1) East Finals (1) Economy (1) Eddie Garcia (1) Eddie Guttierez (1) Efren Reyes (1) Elephant (1) Environment (1) Erap (1) Eraserheads (1) Eric Tai (1) Erik Spoelstra (1) Escudero (1) Espinosa (1) Esquire (1) FIBA Asia (1) FIBA Asia Cup (1) Fabros (1) Facebook (1) Faster (1) Felipe Gozon (1) Fernando Poe Jr. (1) Fight plan (1) Fil- Am (1) Filipino Flash (1) Filipino news (1) Filth (1) Finals (1) Finlas (1) Flag (1) Foo Fighters (1) Forbes (1) Fraternity (1) Full Video (1) Gabriel (1) Gadget (1) Game 1 (1) Game 5 (1) Garcia (1) Gary V. Charice Pempengco (1) Gawad Urian (1) Gerry Ortega (1) Gina Rinehart (1) Girlfriend (1) Gloria (1) God (1) Google (1) Grand Finals (1) Grand Winner (1) Grandsons (1) Greatest Hits Album (1) Gringo (1) Guttierez (1) Harden (1) Harry (1) Harry Reid (1) Hayden Kho (1) Hazing (1) Helen Gamboa (1) Henry Sy (1) Hero (1) Hodge (1) Honasan (1) Hospital (1) Hospital arrest (1) Hotel (1) Huling El Bimbo (1) Huling Sayaw (1) Hulk (1) ICU (1) Ikot ng Mundo (1) Illegal Trade (1) Image (1) Imelda (1) Impeachment (1) Indiana Pacers (1) Indie (1) Inmates (1) Intel (1) Internet (1) Iran (1) Ironman (1) It's Showtime (1) Ivory (1) Iza Calzado (1) J.Lo (1) JB (1) JLo (1) James Morrison (1) Jamir Garcia (1) Jarencio (1) Jennifer Holliday (1) Jennifer Lopez (1) Jennifer Sanchez (1) Jessica Soho (1) Jessup (1) Jim Carrey (1) Jim Paredes (1) Jim Toth (1) Joe Adam (1) Joel Reyes (1) Joel Torre (1) John Pratts (1) Jones (1) Jose Rizal (1) Joseph Estrada (1) Journey (1) Juan for all (1) Judges (1) KZ (1) Kamikazee (1) Keith Richards (1) Kevin Durant (1) Kings (1) Kissing scene (1) Knocked out (1) Knockout (1) Krista Ranillo-Lim (1) Kshitz Chand (1) Kuwaiti police (1) Kyla (1) Kyocera Echo (1) Langit (1) Lars Ulrich (1) Laugh and Sing (1) Lebanon (1) Lebron James (1) Letterman Show (1) Lex Leonum Fraternitas (1) Liam Neeson (1) Libel (1) Liz Alindogan (1) Lolong (1) London (1) Lucio Tan (1) Lucy Liu (1) Lucy Torres (1) Luis (1) Luis Manzano (1) MILF Chief (1) MMA (1) MTRCB (1) Mac. iPhone (1) Madison (1) Maja (1) Maja Salavador (1) Makati Hospital (1) Makati Medical Center (1) Malaysia (1) Man of the poor (1) Manalac (1) Manu Ginobilli (1) Manuel Roxas 2 (1) Mar (1) Marbel (1) Maria Aragon (1) Marielle Rodriguez (1) Marilou Diaz-Abaya (1) Mario Reyes (1) Mark (1) Maroon 5 (1) Martin Nievera (1) Mathebula (1) Mayor (1) Mayweather Sr. (1) Media (1) Men In Black III (1) Michael V. (1) Mick Jagger (1) Miley Cyrus (1) Mining (1) Minsan (1) Mirriam (1) Mirriam Santiago (1) Missing (1) Mitt Romney (1) Mom (1) Mon (1) Mother's Day (1) Motorola (1) Msgr. Cristobal Garcia (1) Mugen (1) My Story (1) NCCA (1) National Artist award (1) Nepal (1) Nepalese (1) New Tigers (1) New Zealand (1) Newspapers (1) Nishioka (1) Northern (1) Northern Philippines (1) Noshioka (1) Novak Djokovic (1) Nurses (1) Nursing (1) Nursing Board Exam (1) Obama (1) October 19 (1) Ogie Alcasid (1) Oklahoma Thunder (1) Omar Nino Romero (1) Online (1) Oppa (1) Oscar (1) PBA Finals (1) PH (1) PLDT (1) PLDTm Smart (1) PM (1) Palace (1) Palawan (1) Par Que (1) Party List (1) Passion (1) Paulo (1) Paulo Avelino (1) Peace (1) Peace prize (1) Petron Blaze (1) Phil Collins (1) Philadelphia Sixers (1) Philip Morris (1) Phivolcs (1) Pido Jarencio (1) Pilipinas (1) Pilita Corrales (1) Pilot (1) Pinay (1) Pinoy Gangnam Style (1) Piper Seneca (1) Plane (1) Pnoy. Aquino. Naga (1) Poem (1) Pofile (1) Point guard (1) Police (1) PolyEast Records (1) Pope (1) Pope francis (1) Popular Shows (1) Post (1) Post Fight Interview (1) Powerful (1) Presidentiable (1) Presidential debate (1) Press Conference (1) Priest (1) Prince (1) Prisoners (1) Profile picture (1) Prone (1) Protesters (1) Puyat (1) Qatar (1) Question and answer (1) Quezon City (1) Rage (1) Rain or Shine (1) Ram Revilla (1) Rama (1) Ramgen Revilla (1) Ramon Revilla (1) Ramsey (1) Rapes (1) Ravena (1) Raxr (1) Red Cross (1) Reese Witherspoon (1) Relationship (1) Reproducive Health (1) Revelation (1) Reyes brothers (1) Richest drummer (1) Richest woman (1) Rivalry (1) Robert Jaworski (1) Rock and Roll (1) Rock band (1) Rody Duterte (1) Rolling Stones (1) Romulo (1) Romulo Macalintal (1) Ronnie Wood (1) Ryzza (1) SM (1) Salva (1) Sam Pinto (1) San Antonio (1) Sandiganbayan (1) Santiago (1) Santo (1) Sarah G. Live (1) Sarah Pope (1) Score card (1) Season 11 (1) Season 75 (1) Secretary Robredo (1) Semi- finals (1) Sen. Honasan (1) Senator Chiz (1) Seventh day Adventist (1) Shalani (1) Sharp Aquos Hybrid (1) Sharper (1) Sheryl Cruz (1) Shocking (1) Showbiz (1) Slapshock (1) Smart Araneta Coliseum (1) Smartphone (1) Snapdragon (1) So Funny (1) Social Networking Site (1) Soledad (1) Solo (1) Solo Concert (1) Sony Ericsson (1) Sony Xperia (1) South (1) South East Asi (1) Southborder (1) Spoelstra (1) Spurs (1) Stabs (1) Stand up comedy (1) Steve Jobs (1) Story (1) Street Kid (1) Striegl (1) Study (1) Suit (1) Super Funny (1) Supermoon (1) Survey (1) Susan Roces (1) Sydney (1) T-Mobile G1 (1) TLC (1) TRO (1) Tacurong (1) Tagalog (1) Taipei (1) Taken 2 (1) Takeoff (1) Talk n Text (1) Tanquincen (1) Tax evasion (1) Taxi driver (1) Tennessee James (1) Tennis (1) Thailand (1) The Avengers (1) The Ellen DeGeneres Show (1) The Filipino Flash (1) The Fray (1) The King (1) Third disaster prone (1) This Guy's In Love With You Mare (1) Thor (1) Ticketmaster (1) Tim Duncan (1) Title (1) Tito (1) Tolentino (1) Tomas Osmeña (1) Toni (1) Toni Gonzaga (1) Tony Parker (1) Top 10 (1) Top 9 (1) Top Ten (1) Top athlete (1) Topnotchers (1) Trade (1) Trainer (1) Tribute (1) Tricia (1) Trillanes (1) Trophy (1) Tsinelas (1) Tulfo brothers (1) Twitter (1) Two and a half men (1) U.S Citizen (1) U2 (1) UP (1) US Senator (1) Uge (1) Unconstitutional (1) Upsilon Phi Sigma (1) Valdez (1) Variety Show (1) Vatican (1) Vhong Navarro (1) Vice (1) Vice Ganda (1) Vilma Santos (1) Vitalii Sediuk (1) WBA (1) WBC (1) WBF (1) WPA (1) Wanted (1) Waterfalls (1) Weekend (1) Weigh-in (1) Whitney (1) Will Smith (1) Willie (1) Willing Willie (1) Women (1) World (1) Yacht designer (1) ZTE (1) Zanjoe Marudo (1) Zia Quizon (1) bata (1) biography (1) e-Martial Law (1) gay (1) magazine (1) no. 7 (1) phone (1) sitcom (1) son's death (1)
Online Filipino Community