Carpio wants to lead judiciary

MANILA, Philippines - Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday said that he is willing to formally take on the role of chief justice.

Carpio, an appointee of President Benigno Aquino III, is currently the acting chief justice, which was vacated by Renato Corona after he was convicted by the Senate impeachment court last month.

"I will not turn down the opportunity to lead the judiciary," Carpio said at the Central Luzon Regional Convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Friday morning.

Read here Carpio's speech at the IBP gathering

The most senior SC justice said that he will formally sent his letter of acceptance to the Judicial and Bar Council on July 2, the deadline set by the council for the submission of nominations and applications for chief justice.

Carpio would be the second senior member of the SC to accept his nomination. SC Associate Justice Arturo Brion, who is an appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, has also accepted his nomination to the post.

All of the SC justices have been nominated for chief justice.

In his speech at the IBP gathering, Carpio said that the judiciary "needs to learn, and implement, the lessons from the recent impeachment of the former Chief Justice."

"These lessons pertain to integrity, transparency and accountability in the judiciary," he said.

Carpio also hinted the need for a better cooperation between the judiciary and Malacañang, whose relationship was affected during the time of Corona.

"Of course, the judiciary is only one of the pillars of the broader Justice System that includes the community as well as agencies of the Executive branch," he said.