Malacañang on Thursday insisted that the non-selection of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has nothing to do with his critical stance of the country’s West Philippine Sea dispute with China. Carpio was among the five associate justices shorlisted for the chief justice post, which was vacated by the retirement of Teresita De Castro. Carpio previously declined his nomination for the top justice post when it was declared vacant following former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno’s removal in May. Following De Castro’s retirement in October, Carpio, the most senior of the five candidates, said he did not see any more reason to decline the Chief Justice nomination. However, Duterte snubbed Carpio and cited his initial decision to decline the nomination, an argument seconded by Panelo.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 29, 2018 11:37 UTC