SC confirms another justice to retire for health reasons

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 4 years ago

MANILA, Philippines—Supreme Court Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos is considering retiring early due to health reasons, Public Information Chief and Spokesperson Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka said Friday.

“According to Justice Delos Santos, due to health reasons, he is considering the possibility of retiring ahead of his 70th birthday on 12 June 2022,” Hosaka told reporters.

Hosaka said the magistrate had sent a letter to his staff advising them as early as March 19, 2021, to look for other employment, “knowing the difficulty of finding a job during this pandemic.”

“Justice Delos Santos further added that he remains an incumbent member of the Supreme Court until after a specific date of retirement, as may be indicated in a formal letter from him to the En Banc, is accepted and acted upon by the Court,” Hosaka added.

Since last year, Delos Santos is the third magistrate to opt for early retirement and the second to cite health reasons.

In November last year, the high court has accepted the early retirement of Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla. She was supposed to retire in 2028. The high court did not provide details on her reason for early retiring except that she applied for “disability retirement.”

On the other hand, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta has also opted for early retirement. Today is his last day as Chief Justice, as his retirement is on March 27. He was supposed to hang his robe on March 27, 2022. He gave no reason for his decision to retire early.

To date, President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed 16 magistrates—three have already retired while two retired early—Padilla and now Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

Duterte has also appointed three chief justices—Lucas Bersamin, Teresita Leonardo De Castro, and Peralta.

The Judicial and Bar Council has already submitted to the President the names of a possible replacement for Peralta and the fourth chief justice appointed by the President.