Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the

Philippines
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Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the

Philippines
Punong Mahistrado ng Pilipinas

Seal of the Supreme Court

Flag of the Supreme Court

 Incumbent
Antonio Carpio
Acting[1]

since May 14, 2018

Style The Honorable (formal)

Mr. Chief Justice (informal)

Your Honor (when addressed directly in court)

 Presidential Electoral Tribunal

Member of
 Judicial and Bar Council

Appointer Presidential appointment upon nomination by

the Judicial and Bar Council

Term length Retirement at the age of 70

Inaugural Cayetano Arellano

holder

Formation June 11, 1901

Website Official Website

Philippines

This article is part of a series on the

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The Chief Justice of the Philippines (Filipino: Punong Mahistrado ng Pilipinas) presides over
the Supreme Court of the Philippinesand is the highest judicial officer of the government of the
Philippines. The most recent chief justice was Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was appointed
by President Benigno Aquino III on August 24, 2012.[2], but she was later removed from her post
through a grant of a quo warranto petition on May 11, 2018 which rendered her appointment as
void ab initio as well as her entire term of office as a de factotenure[3]; officially & legally-speaking it
would be Sereno's predecessor Renato Corona, who was impeached by the Senate of the
Philippines sitting as an impeachment court.
The Chief Justice, who was first named in June 11, 1901 in the person of Cayetano Arellano, is the
oldest existing major governmental office continually held by a Filipino, preceding the presidency
and vice presidency (1935), senators (1916, or as the Taft Commission, in September 1, 1901) and
the members of the House of Representatives (1907 as the Philippine Assembly).

Contents

 1Duties and powers

 2List of chief justices
 3Longevity
 4Chief justices
 5Timeline
 6See also
 7References
 8Further reading
Duties and powers[edit]
The power to appoint the chief justice lies with the president, who makes the selection from a list of
three nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council. There is no material difference in the
process of selecting a chief justice from that in the selection of associate justices. As with the other
justices of the Supreme Court, the chief justice is obliged to retire upon reaching the age of 70;
otherwise there is no term limit for the chief justice. In the 1935 constitution, any person appointed
by the president has to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments; in the 1973 constitution,
the person whom the president has appointed won't have to go confirmation under the Commission
on Appointments.
The Constitution does not ascribe any formal role to the chief justice other than as an ex-
officio chairman of the Judicial and Bar Council and as the presiding officer in any impeachment trial
of the president. The chief justice is also required to personally certify every decision that is rendered
by the court. He or she carries only 1 vote out of 15 in the court, and is generally regarded, vis-a-vis
the other justices, as the primus inter pares rather than as the administrative superior of the other
members of the court.
Still, the influence a chief justice may bear within the court and judiciary, and on the national
government cannot be underestimated. In the public eye, any particular Supreme Court is widely
identified with the identity of the incumbent chief justice, hence appellations such as "The Fernando
Court" or "The Puno Court". Moreover, the chief justice usually retains high public visibility, unlike the
associate justices, who tend to labor in relative anonymity, with exceptions such as Associate
Justice J. B. L. Reyes in the 1950s to 1970s.
By tradition, it is also the chief justice who swears into office the President of the Philippines. One
notable deviation from that tradition came in 1986, and later again in 2010. Due to the exceptional
political circumstances culminating in the People Power Revolution, on February 25, 1986, Corazon
Aquino took her oath of office as President before then Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee in San
Juanjust minutes before Ferdinand Marcos took his own oath of office also as President before Chief
Justice Ramon Aquino. Marcos fled into exile later that night. More than two decades
afterwards, Benigno Simeon Aquino III followed in his mother's footsteps (with almost similar
reasons) by having then Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales (now the incumbent
Ombudsman) swear him in, rather than then Chief Justice Renato Corona (who was eventually
impeached halfway through Aquino's term). 6 years later, in 2016, Rodrigo Duterte was sworn into
office by Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, his classmate at San Beda College of Law, instead of
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (who would eventually be removed thru quo warranto after it
was revealed she had been unlawfully holding office ab initio).
The Chief Justice also names the three justices each from the Supreme Court in the memberships of
the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal and the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
And the chief justice is the chief executive officer of the Philippine Judiciary system and together with
the whole Supreme Court, exercises administrative supervision over all courts and personnel.

List of chief justices[edit]

Portraits of the chief justices at the Supreme Court Building.

The chief justice's judicial chambers

Reception room for the Office of the Chief Justice

Legend:

University of Santo Tomas

Northwestern University
University of the Philippines
Far Eastern University
Escuela de Derecho de Manila (Now Manila Law College)
Ateneo de Manila University

# Name Began Ended Tenure Appointed by

Cayetano Arellano 18 years, William McKinley

1 (March 2, 1847 – June 11, 1901 April 12, 1920
December 23, 1920)
306 days (Republican)
 Victorino Mapa October 31, 1 year, Woodrow Wilson
2 (February 25, 1855 – April July 1, 1920
12, 1927)
1921 122 days (Democratic)

Manuel Araullo November 1, 2 years, Warren G. Harding

3 (January 1, 1853 – July July 26, 1924
26, 1924)
1921 268 days (Republican)

Ramón Avanceña December 24, 16 years, Calvin Coolidge

4 (April 13, 1872 – June 12, April 1, 1925
1957)
1941 267 days (Republican)

José Abad Santos1 December 24, Manuel L. Quezon

5 (February 19, 1886 – May May 7, 1942 134 days
7, 1942)
1941 (Nacionalista)

José Yulo 3 years, Japanese Military

6 (September 24, 1894 – May 7, 1942 July 9, 1945
October 27, 1976)
63 days Administration

Manuel Moran March 20, 5 years, Sergio Osmeña

7 (October 27, 1893 – July 9, 1945
August 23, 1961)
1951 254 days (Nacionalista)

Ricardo Paras February 17, 9 years, Elpidio Quirino

8 (February 17, 1891 – April 2, 1951
October 10, 1984)
1961 321 days (Liberal)

César Bengzon 5 years, Carlos P. Garcia

9 (May 29, 1896 – April 28, 1961 May 29, 1966
September 3, 1992)
31 days (Nacionalista)

Roberto Concepcion 6 years,

10 (June 7, 1903 – May 3, June 17, 1966 April 18, 1973
1987)
305 days
Ferdinand Marcos
(Nacionalista)
Querube Makalintal October 21, December 22, 2 years,
11 (December 22, 1910 –
November 8, 2002)
1973 1975 62 days
 Fred Ruiz Castro January 5, 3 years,
12 (September 2, 1914 – April 19, 1979
April 19, 1979)
1976 104 days

Enrique Fernando 6 years,

13 (July 25, 1915 – October July 2, 1979 July 24, 1985
13, 2004)
22 days
Ferdinand Marcos
(Kilusang Bagong Lipunan)
Felix Makasiar November 19,
14 (November 20, 1915 – July 25, 1985 117 days
February 19, 1992)
1985

Ramon Aquino November 20, 1 year,

15 (August 31, 1917 – March March 6, 1987
31, 1993)
1985 106 days

Claudio Teehankee,
Sr. 1 year,
16 April 2, 1987 April 18, 1988
(April 18, 1918 – 16 days
November 27, 1989)

Pedro Yap
17 (July 1, 1918 – November April 19, 1988 June 30, 1988 72 days
20, 2003) Corazon Aquino
(United Nationalist
Democratic Organization)
Marcelo Fernan December 6, 3 years,
18 (October 24, 1926 – July July 1, 1988
11, 1999)
1991 158 days

Andres Narvasa December 8, November 30, 6 years,

19 (November 30, 1928 -
October 31, 2013)
1991 1998 357 days

Hilario Davide, Jr. November 30, December 20, 7 years, Joseph Estrada
20 (Laban ng Makabayang
(born December 20, 1935) 1998 2005 20 days Masang Pilipino)

Artemio Panganiban December 20, December 7, 1 year,

21
(born December 7, 1937) 2005 2007 352 days
 Reynato Puno December 8, 2 years,
22 May 17, 2010
(born May 17, 1940) 2007 160 days
Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo
(Lakas)
Renato Corona2 2 years,
23 (October 15, 1948 - April May 17, 2010 May 29, 2012
29, 2016)
12 days

Maria Lourdes Sereno3 August 25, 5 years, Benigno Aquino III

– May 11, 2018
(born July 2, 1960) 2012 342 days (Liberal)

^1 José Abad Santos was unable to preside over the Supreme Court
due to the outbreak of World War II.
^2 Renato Corona was impeached on December 12, 2011, and
convicted on May 29, 2012, removing him from office. Antonio Carpio,
the most senior associate justice, was acting chief justice from May 30,
2012, to August 25, 2012, when Maria Lourdes Sereno was sworn into
office by President Benigno Aquino III.[4]
^3 Maria Lourdes Sereno was removed on May 11, 2018 via quo
warranto by a special en banc session; the petition alleged Sereno's
appointment was void ab initio due to her failure in complying with the
requirements of the Judicial and Bar Council. Hence her entire term as
Chief Justice is considered a de facto tenure;[3] legally void since the
ouster of her predecessor. Sereno filed an ad cautelam motion for
reconsideration pleading for the reversal of the decision on May 31,
2018, but on June 19, 2018 was denied with finality (meaning no
further pleading shall be entertained, as well as for the immediate entry
for judgment) for lack of merit.[5]

Longevity[edit]

Longevity
Chief Date of Date of Longevity
OL OO (Years,
Justice Birth Death (Days)
Days)

May 29, September 96 years,

1 9 César Bengzon 35,160 days
1896 3, 1992 97 days

February 17, October 10, 93 years,

2 8 Ricardo Paras 34,203 days
1891 1984 236 days

Querube December November 91 years,

3 11 33,571 days
Makalintal 11, 1910 8, 2002 333 days
 Longevity
Chief Date of Date of Longevity
OL OO (Years,
Justice Birth Death (Days)
Days)

Enrique July 25, October 3, 89 years,

4 13 31,482 days
Fernando 1915 2004 70 days

November 86 years,
5 17 Pedro Yap July 1, 1918 31,554 days
20, 2003 142 days

Ramón April 13, June 12, 85 years,

6 4 31,105 days
Avanceña 1872 1957 60 days

Andres November October 31, 84 years,

7 2 31,016 days
Narvasa 30, 1928 2013 335 days

Roberto 83 years,
8 10 June 7, 1903 May 3, 1987 30,646 days
Concepcion 330 days

Hilario December 82 years,

9 20 Living 30,176 days
Davide 20, 1935 225 days

September October 27, 82 years,

10 6 José Yulo 29,983 days
24, 1894 1976 33 days

Artemio December 80 years,

11 21 Living 29,458 days
Panganiban 7, 1937 238 days

May 17, 78 years,

12 22 Reynato Puno Living 28,566 days
1940 77 days

August 31, February 74 years,

13 14 Felix Makasiar 27,200 days
1917 19, 1992 172 days
 Longevity
Chief Date of Date of Longevity
OL OO (Years,
Justice Birth Death (Days)
Days)

Ramon November March 31, 77 years,

14 15 27,850 days
Aquino 20, 1915 1993 131 days

Cayetano March 2, December 73 years,

15 1 26,956 days
Arellano 1847 20, 1920 293 days

Marcelo October 24, July 11, 72 years,

16 18 26,558 days
Fernán 1926 1999 260 days

Victorino February 25, April 12, 72 years,

17 2 26,343 days
Mapa 1855 1927 46 days

Manuel January 1, July 26, 71 years,

18 3 26,138 days
Araullo 1853 1924 207 days

Claudio April 18, July 11, 81 years,

19 16 29,669 days
Teehankee, Sr. 1918 1999 84 days

October 27, August 23, 67 years,

20 7 Manuel Moran 24,771 days
1893 1961 300 days

October 15, April 29, 67 years,

21 23 Renato Corona 24,668 days
1948 2016 197 days

Fred Ruiz September April 19, 64 years,

22 12 23,605 days
Castro 2, 1914 1979 229 days

Maria
58 years,
23 – Lourdes July 2, 1960 Living 21,215 days
31 days
Sereno
 Longevity
Chief Date of Date of Longevity
OL OO (Years,
Justice Birth Death (Days)
Days)

Jose Abad February 19, 56 years,

24 5 May 7, 1942 20,530 days
Santos 1886 77 days

[6]

Chief justices[edit]
 José Yulo was the only former Speaker of the House of
Representatives to be subsequently appointed as chief
justice. Another, Querube Makalintal, would be elected
as Speaker of the Interim Batasang
Pambansa (parliament) after his retirement from the
court. On the other hand, Marcelo Fernan would, after
his resignation from the court, be elected to
the Senate and later serve as its president. Other chief
justices served in prominent positions in public service
after their retirement include Manuel
Moran(Ambassador to Spain and the Vatican),
and Hilario Davide, Jr. (Ambassador to the UN). The
most prestigious position held by a former chief justice
was undoubtedly that of César Bengzon, who was
elected as the first Filipino to sit as a judge on
the International Court of Justice shortly after his
retirement in 1966.
 Roberto Concepcion was reputedly so disappointed
with the court's ruling in Javellana v. Executive
Secretary where the majority affirmed the validity of the
Marcos Constitution despite recognizing the flaws in its
ratification, that he retired 2 months prior to his
reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. 13 years
later, after the ouster of Marcos, the 83-year-old
Concepcion was appointed a member of the 1986
Constitutional Commission tasked with drafting a new
constitution. Drawing from his experiences as chief
justice in the early days of martial law, Concepcion
introduced several new innovations designed to assure
the independence of the Supreme Court, such as
the Judicial and Bar Council and the express
conferment on the court the power to review any acts of
government.
 The longest period one person served as chief justice
was 18 years, 294 days in the case of Cayetano
Arellano, who served from 1901 to 1920. Arellano was
73 years, 29 days old upon his resignation, the greatest
age ever reached by an incumbent chief justice, and a
 record unlikely to be broken with the current mandatory
retirement age of 70.
 The shortest tenure of any chief justice was that
of Pedro Yap, who served as chief justice for 73 days in
1988. Other chief justices who served for less than a
year were Felix Makasiar (85 days), Ramon Aquino (78
days) and Artemio Panganiban (352 days). Of these
chief justices, all but Aquino left office upon reaching
the mandatory retirement age of 70; Aquino resigned in
1986 after the newly installed President Corazon
Aquino asked for the courtesy resignations of all the
members of the court.
 The oldest person appointed as chief justice was Pedro
Yap, who was 69 years, 292 days old upon his
appointment in 1988. Other persons appointed as chief
justice in their 69th year were Felix Makasiar (69 years,
280 days old) and Artemio Panganiban (69 years, 13
days old). The youngest person named as chief justice
was Manuel Moran, who was 51 years, 256 days old
upon his appointment.
 Claudio Teehankee had to wait for nearly 18 years as
Associate Justice before he was appointed as chief
justice. He was twice bypassed by Ferdinand Marcos in
favor a more junior associate justice before he was
finally appointed chief justice by Corazon Aquino. Of
the Filipino associate justices, Florentino Torres and J.
B. L. Reyes served over 18 years in the court without
becoming chief justice. In contrast, Pedro Yap had
served as associate justice for only 2 years, 10 days
before he was promoted as chief justice.
 The longest-lived chief justice was César Bengzon,
who died in 1992 aged 96 years, 97 days old. Two
other chief justices lived past 90: Ricardo Paras (93
years, 235 days) and Querube Makalintal (91 years,
322 days).
 The youngest chief justice to die was José Abad
Santos, who was executed by the Japanese army in
1942 at age 56 years, 77 days. The youngest chief
justice to die from non-violent causes was Fred Ruiz
Castro, who died in 1979 of a heart attack inflight to
India, at age 64 years, 231 days. Abad Santos, Castro
and Manuel Araullo are the only chief justices to die
while in office.
 The first chief justice to be impeached is Renato
Corona. On December 12, 2011, 188 of the 285
members of House of Representatives voted to
transmit to the Senate the Articles of Impeachment filed
against him. On May 29, 2012, the Senate, voting 20-3,
convicted Corona under Article II pertaining to his
failure to disclose to the public his statement of assets,
liabilities, and net worth.[7]
 Maria Lourdes Sereno was the first female appointed to
serve as chief justice, following the impeachment of
Renato Corona and deliberations by the Judicial and
Bar Council in 2012. If not for the quo warranto petition
which was granted on May 11, 2018 that removed her
from the post as well as voiding her appointment and
declaring her tenure as a de facto term[3], she would
have been the second chief justice to similarly undergo
impeachment proceedings as her late predecessor;
unlike Corona, the House of Representatives' Justice
Committee Panel went through the proper procedures
as well as numerous committee hearings to determine
the impeachment complaint as sufficient in form &
substance (which formed part of the basis of the quo
warranto petition), and was only awaiting for a plenary
session vote to transmit the articles of impeachment to
the Senate. Her ouster was made final on June 19,
2018 by the denial with finality (meaning no further
pleading would be entertained, as well as for the
immediate entry for judgment) of her ad
cautelammotion for reconsideration filed on May 31,
2018 pleading for the reversal of her ouster via quo
warranto.[5]

Timeline[edit]

See also[edit]
 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the
Philippines
 Supreme Court of the Philippines
  Constitution of the Philippines

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ "Carpio assumes anew as acting Chief
Justice". Manila Bulletin. May 13, 2018. Retrieved May
15, 2018.
2. Jump up^ "Maria Lourdes A. Sereno". Official Gazette.
Aug 24, 2012. Retrieved Aug 24, 2012.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c "G.R. No. 237428. May 11,
2018" (PDF). Supreme Court of the Philippines. May 11,
2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
4. Jump up^ "Carpio is acting chief justice under SC
order". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 30, 2012.
Retrieved May 30, 2012.
5. ^ Jump up to:a b "G.R. No. 237428. June 19,
2018" (PDF). Supreme Court of the Philippines. June 19,
2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
6. Jump up^ Updated daily according to UTC.
7. Jump up^ "Senate votes 20-3 to convict
Corona". Inquirer.net. May 29, 2012. Retrieved May
30, 2012.

Further reading[edit]
 The Supreme Court E-library
 The Chief Justice on the Official Gazette of the
Philippines
 Sevilla, Victor J. (1985). Justices of the Supreme Court
of the Philippines Vol. I. Quezon City, Philippines: New
Day Publishers. ISBN 971-10-0134-9.
 Sevilla, Victor J. (1985). Justices of the Supreme Court
of the Philippines Vol. II. Quezon City, Philippines: New
Day Publishers. ISBN 971-10-0137-3.
 Sevilla, Victor J. (1985). Justices of the Supreme Court
of the Philippines Vol. III. Quezon City, Philippines:
New Day Publishers. ISBN 971-10-0139-X.

show

Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines

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