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Supreme Court honors 'statesman, patriot' Carpio as he nears retirement
Officials and employees of the Supreme Court (SC) wore the colors of the Philippine flag Monday as they honored outgoing Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio days before he retires from an 18-year career in the tribunal.
His fellow justices recognized Carpio, who retires on October 26, his 70th birthday, for his leadership, wisdom, professionalism, and modesty, calling him "both a statesman and a patriot" in a plaque read by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
In a short speech right after his last flag-raising ceremony at the SC, Carpio said his "very long journey" allowed him to write 935 decisions, 79 dissenting opinions, 30 concurring opinions, 13 separate opinions, and four concurring and dissenting opinions, "leaving no backlog."
"It was a very long journey allowing me to write 935 full-blown decisions, 79 dissenting opinions, 30 concurring opinions, 13 separate opinions, and four concurring and dissenting opinions leaving no backlog," Acting CJ Antonio T. Carpio said in his farewell message this morning. pic.twitter.com/7W76WcS5Ce
— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) October 21, 2019
He earlier said he will continue his personal advocacy of defending the country's sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea after he leaves the court.
Carpio, an appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, is acting chief justice following the retirement of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin last Friday. As senior associate, he has intermittently served as acting chief for more than eight months, according to former chief justice Artemio Panganiban.
"His leadership provided the stability for the institution," Leonen said. "He is always a solid anchor, a firm and impenetrable rock, and an immovable tower of strength that holds the Court together when it truly mattered."
Though he never officially became chief justice, Carpio will have the retirement privileges of one after the SC unanimously passed a resolution for the purpose.
He refused the traditional "majestic" ceremony for retiring justices at the SC's session hall, preferring instead a dinner on Friday, the eve of his retirement.
Carpio thanked his SC "family" and staff for "lighten[ing] the heavy burden on my shoulders."
"I dare say that my colleagues in the en banc and my coworkers in the Supreme Court 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," he said. —KG, GMA News
