SC justices move to stop Sereno’s unilateral decision on judicial office

MANILA, Philippines - Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno called in sick and missed the Supreme Court (SC)’s full-court session yesterday, during which other justices moved to temporarily stop her unilateral decision to create a new judicial office in the Visayas.

It was the first time Sereno missed the regular session since her appointment to the top judicial post last August.

A special order that her office released designating Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as acting chief justice showed that Sereno called in sick.

Special Order No. 1384 gave Carpio “authority to exercise the powers and prerogatives of and pertaining to the position of chief justice on matters that cannot wait for the chief justice.”

Carpio will preside over the SC until the Chief Justice reports back to work after recovering from her sickness.

An insider told The STAR the justices were supposed to tackle in the session Sereno’s order creating a Regional Court Administrator Office (RCAO) in Cebu City, which did not have approval from them through a majority vote.

The two-page resolution docketed as Administrative Matter No. 12-11-9-SC (Re: Opening of the Regional Trial Court Administration Office in Region 7) and promulgated last Nov. 27 showed that the SC collegially ratified Sereno’s revival of RCAO Cebu and the appointment of Geraldine Econg as head.

Sereno went to Cebu last Thursday for the RCAO’s opening ceremonies.

However, the source – an SC member – said no approval from the full court was given.