Associate Justice Antonio Carpio’s stand on the West Philippine Sea issue will not affect his chances of being appointed as the next Supreme Court Chief Justice, Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said that Carpio’s position on the longstanding territorial dispute would not be a negative factor in the latter’s bid to become the next top magistrate.
Panelo said, President Rodrigo Duterte even has been known to appoint a number of critics to his administration.
“If you will look at the history of the President, when he appointed Harry Roque, his spokesperson, I remember, during the campaign, he was against the President,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“He (Roque) was supporting another candidate and yet the President appointed him, and he became a member of the Cabinet,” he added.
Panelo also cited the appointment of leftist personalities in Duterte’s Cabinet including former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, and National Anti-Poverty Commission head Liza Maza.
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“Those members of the Cabinet coming from the left, they were attacking the President and yet they were appointed,” Panelo said.
“So, I don’t think you can derive a conclusion that just because someone is a critic of the administration, he cannot be appointed,” Panelo added.
Panelo admitted, however, that Carpio’s appointment as the next Chief Justice is still uncertain as the President will still have to decide on whether to follow the seniority rule or not.
Carpio, 69, is the most senior among the four other nominees– Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, and Andres Reyes Jr.
In August, Duterte appointed Teresita de Castro as the chief justice based on seniority.
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