Puno takes sabbatical leave, names acting chief justice

Outgoing Chief Justice Reynato Puno will start Thursday his two-week sabbatical break ahead of his retirement and has designated Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as acting head of the Supreme Court. “In view of the wellness and sabbatical leave of the undersigned from March 18 to 30, 2010, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio is hereby designated as acting chief justice," Puno said in a memorandum. Carpio, as acting chief justice, is authorized “to exercise the powers and prerogatives of and pertaining to the position of chief justice on matters that cannot wait for the chief justice, effective March 18 until the undersigned reports back to work."

Among the functions that Carpio is expected to perform is to sit as ex-officio chair of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which is expected to deliberate on the next moves it will take following the high court’s ruling on the appointment of Puno’s successor. The SC on Wednesday ruled that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can appoint the next chief justice despite the constitutional ban on so-called midnight appointments, which the court said covers only the executive department. Carpio was the sole justice who gave a vote of dissent to the decision. Puno is set to hang his robe on May 17 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. In a separate special order, Puno also designated Carpio as acting chairperson of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. - KBK, GMANews.TV