SC rejects Sereno’s appointed Philja official

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the appointment of a Philippine Judicial Academy (Philja) official by ousted chief justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno.

In a 40-page resolution released last week, the SC said the chief justice has no delegated power to appoint administrative officials with judicial ranks such as lawyer Brenda Jay Mendoza, who was appointed as Philja chief of office for the Philippine Mediation Center by Sereno in June 2016.

The justices stressed that only the SC sitting collegially can approve the appointment for such a specific position and other judicial ranks with salary grade of 29 and above. 

“This Court’s nature as a collegial body requires that the appointing power be exercised by the Court en banc, consistent with Article VIII, Section 1 of the Constitution,” read the ruling penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

“The Philja chief of office for the Philippine Mediation Center receives the same compensation and benefits as an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals. Due to this position having judicial rank, which bears a salary grade of 30, and consistent with the prior Resolutions of this Court, the Philja chief of office for the Philippine Mediation Center is deemed included as among the positions which shall be appointed by the Court en banc,” the Court explained.

The SC also cited as another flaw in Mendoza’s appointment the lack of recommendation from the Philja board of trustees, which it stressed should have been required under administrative rules.