MANILA, Philippines–Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III “was an example of decency and earned us international respect,” retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales said.
Carpio-Morales was the only dissenting Supreme Court justice when the High Court allowed then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to appoint the next chief justice, despite a constitutional ban on midnight appointments.
She was personally chosen by Aquino to administer his oath of office as president of the Philippines in 2010.
Carpio-Morales was later called out of retirement and was appointed as Ombudsman.
“It was a great honor to have served as Ombudsman when he was our President and honesty, integrity and the rule of law guided our government,” she said in a statement.
“He was brave. He went after powerful people who did wrong. But he was fair and allowed justice to prevail even to his discredit. He was an example of decency and earned us international respect,” Carpio-Morales said.