This week Senior Associate Supreme
Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio will leave the Supreme Court after 18 years,
more than 900 decisions and with no backlog.
He leaves SC as acting Chief Justice
and it is being hailed by his colleagues in the judiciary as the quintessential
scholar, a patriotic Filipino and a leader.
"The Honorable Senior Associate
Justice Antonio T. Carpio, through his participation and leadership, defined an
era of the Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines," said
Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, reading out loud the SC magistrates’ plaque of
appreciation for Carpio who attended his last flag raising ceremony Monday.
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| Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio (photo credit to owner) |
"Indeed, [he] has earned his place
in the history of the Supreme Court. Many of his writings have become
canonical. Many more would become so. He will be known as the quintessential
scholar, a patient mentor, an enlightened and patriotic Filipino, a passionate
and just jurist. And above all else, a leader for the judiciary,” he added.
Supreme Court employees were clad in
blue, red and white – the colors of the national flag.
18 years of SC service
As per records of the Supreme Court, Carpio penned 935 full
blown long decisions, 79 dissenting opinions, 30 concurring opinions, 13
separate opinions and 4 concurring and dissenting opinions, with no backlog in
his almost 2 decades in the high court.
His writings, according to his colleagues, were "clear,
erudite, strategic and always with a perspective towards insisting on a just
result that should benefit the Filipino people."
"His writings reveal the wisdom
that he patiently evolved throughout his career as a lawyer, professor of law,
Chief Legal Counsel for the Office of the President, and also as Senior
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court,” they said.
WPS Advocate
With all his accomplishments as an
esteemed member of the High Court he is best known for his advocacy for
Philippine interests in the West Philippine Sea.
Been very active in the Hague tribunal
which later eventually invalidated China’s nine-dash line to being vocal
against the government’s conflicting policy regards the country’s interests
with respect to the tribunal’s decision and other deals which seems to favor
the Chinese interests over ours.
"Senior Associate Justice Antonio
Carpio is both a statesman and a patriot. His effort to protect our national
sovereignty and ensure accountability of all government officials remains
tireless, unceasing and enlightening. His knowledge and applied wisdom of
national and international law is unparalleled," the plaque of recognition
they gave him said.
After
18 years of public service
During the flag ceremony, Justice Carpio shared he has mixed
emotions/feelings on leaving the Supreme Court.
"As I return here to this spot where I started my
journey before the SC family, a flag ceremony one fine day 18 years ago, I am
both happy and sad,” he told his audience composed of SC employees and
fellow-justices.
“Happy because I have done my best to serve our people, and
sad because I am bidding farewell to my family of the last 18 years."
He added: "I dare say that my colleagues in the en banc
and my co-workers in the SC family have always shown utmost dedication and professionalism
in their work and service to the Filipino people. So let me say a big thank you
to all of you.”
Justice Antonio Carpio officially retires as a member of the
SC on October 26, one of the longest-serving SC associate justices in history.
And since it is publicly known that he missed five chances to be appointed to
be the chief magistrate of the land, he will retire with benefits the same that
of a chief justice of the High Court.
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Report from ABS-CBN News
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