Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno ordered the reorganization of three divisions of the Supreme Court as her first order of the day.
In a one-page special order No. 1298 dated Aug. 28, Sereno ordered the following reorganization and designation of chairpersons and members:
First Division: Chairperson: CJ Maria Lourdes Sereno Working Chairperson: Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro Members: Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin, Martin Villarama, Jr., Bienvenido Reyes
Second Division: Chairperson: Associate Justice Antonio Carpio Members: Associate Justices Arturo Brion, Mariano Del Castillo, Jose Perez, Estela Perlas-Bernabe
Third Division: Chairperson: Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, Jr. Members: Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Roberto Abad, Jose Mendoza
Her order is pursuant to Section 8, Rule 2 or the Operating Structures of the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court which states that the First Division shall be composed of the Chief Justice, the fourth in seniority as working chairperson, the seventh in seniority, the tenth in seniority, and the thirteenth in seniority.
Under the same Rule, the Second Division shall be composed of the second in seniority as Chairperson, the fifth in seniority, the eighth in seniority; the eleventh in seniority, and the fourteenth in seniority while the Third Division shall be composed of the third in seniority as Chairperson, the sixth in seniority, the ninth in seniority, the twelfth in seniority, and the fifteenth in seniority.
Prior to her appointment as Chief Justice, Sereno was a member of the Second Division under Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.