Leonen says he's not 'cut out' to be chief justice at the time
MANILA, Philippines — Associate Justice Marvic Leonen is not likely to apply to the chief justice post that will open up by end of March.
Leonen may be the second most senior justice when Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta’s retires on March 27, but said he believes he “is not cut out for chief justice at the current time.”
He, however, refused to give a categorical answer on whether he will accept his automatic nomination, given to the top five most senior justices, to the post.
“I am honored to have been automatically nominated, but that is also a function of seniority, but of course in my mind I am looking at what I should do, and more likely, I am better at supporting a chief justice rather than being one. But as I said, no comment,” he said in a media forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.
Other justices who are automatically nominated to the chief justice post are Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Alexander Gesmundo and Ramon Paul Hernando.
Peralta is stepping down from his post a year ahead of his mandatory retirement. The Judicial and Bar Council, screening panel for the Judiciary, is receiving applications and recommendations for the next chief justice until February 15.
Leonen is facing an impeachment bid at the House of Representatives, endorsed by Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba (Ilocos Norte) — cousin of former Sen. Bongbong Marcos — and prepared by lawyer Larry Gadon.
The ouster bid came after Gadon and Solicitor General Jose Calida sought and were denied of copies of Leonen’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth for the purpose of preparing a quo warranto petition.
Calida and Marcos had also tried to remove, and failed, Leonen from the vice presidential poll protest.
READ: SC tells Calida: 'People’s Tribune' status not to be 'hoisted wantonly' in private suits
'Being chief justice entails awesome responsibilities'
Leonen said he believes there are people “cut to be chief justice” and some that are “better to become associate justices or senior associate justices.
“And there are also people that are better writing majority opinions or even dissenting opinions and each of us will have their own role. Not all of us really want to become Chief Justice,” Leonen, a know dissenter at the SC, continued.
Leonen stressed that becoming a chief justice entails leadership and management skills. The top judge must also be able to communicate the ideas pf the Judiciary to different forum.
“There needs to be a change of character in terms of who you are whenever you become Chief Justice because what comes first will not be your opinion, what comes first should be the opinion of all the 14 others,” he added.
In the 2019, Leonen had declined his automatic nomination to the chief justice post.
He also said he does not think justice’s short stint in the tribunal will affect the SC’s ability to consistently rule on cases.
President Rodrigo Duterte has opened a revolving door at the SC as some of the justices he appointed to the SC had a rather short stint at the tribunal before they reach the mandatory retirement age of 70.
But Leonen said even with just a year of service, an SC justice “changes the complexion of our deliberations” as he or she brings different ideas and views to the bench.
“The Supreme Court survives most of us and therefore, what matters is that you have good deliberations,” he added.
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