Senior justices attend SC flag rites without Sereno

The Supreme Court building in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – For the first time since the appointment of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno last August, senior justices of the Supreme Court attended this morning’s flag ceremony.

But Sereno herself was notably absent during the flag rites.

Present during Monday’s flag ceremony were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Lucas Bersamin and Diosdado Peralta.

When the justices went down to attend the flag ceremony, they were applauded by the employees.

Carpio said their attendance in the flag ceremony was not a coincidence that Sereno was absent.

When asked if they would attend again when Sereno returns, Carpio said, “We will be attending now and then.”

“But if you ask me how many times I have attended (the flag ceremony), I think I have attended more than anybody else,” Carpio told reporters.