Del Castillo declines automatic SC Chief Justice nomination

Supreme Court Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo.  (Photo from Supreme Court of the Philippines website)

One of the most senior justices of the Supreme Court (SC) has tuned down his automatic nomination for Chief Justice, citing lack of time to “embark on notable projects.”

Associate Justice Mariano Del Castillo will mandatory retire on July 29, 2019 upon reaching the age of 70.

In his letter dated October 12, Del Castillo said: “I am honored to be automatically nominated to the post of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court … My compulsory retirement next year, however, compels me to respectfully decline the nomination.”

“I foresee that, as Chairperson of the 2018 Bar Examinations, my work will extend to the months just prior to my retirement. That will leave me not much time to embark on notable projects that a Chief Justice will normally want to have an imprint on,” Del Castillo also said.

Meanwhile, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has extended to October 26 the deadline for the application period for the position of SC Chief Justice to replace recently-retired Chief Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro, who turned 70 last October 10.

The JBC has originally set the deadline for the application or recommendation to the post of SC Chief Justice on October 15.  /kga