New SC clerk of court takes oath

Edgar Aricheta took his oath before acting Chief Justice Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as the new clerk of court in the Supreme Court on Thursday. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The Supreme Court has a new clerk of court.

Edgar Aricheta took his oath before acting Chief Justice Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio as the new clerk of court in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Aricheta, who took his oath at the En Banc session hall of the SC, replaced former SC En Banc Clerk of Court Felipa Borlongan-Anama who retired last Feb. 22, 2018.

Anama was supposed to retire on August last year upon reaching the age of 65, but her term was extended by high court magistrates for another period of six months.

Aricheta, a graduate of the Ateneo College of Law, also sat as the SC 1st Division Clerk of Court before his promotion.

A native of Zamboanga del Norte, Aricheta began his public career as legal assistant officer at the Department of Labor and Employment in 1978.

In 1980, he joined the judiciary as technical assistant/researcher and eventually got promoted to Court Confidential Attorney, Attorney IV, Court Attorney V, and Court Attorney VI.

Among the aspirants in the list include Lourdes Perfecto, Clerk of Court of the SC 2nd Division, Wilfredo Lapitan, Clerk of Court of the SC 3rd Division and Teresita Tuason, Asst. Clerk of Court of the SC 2nd Division.

The clerk of court of the en banc shall handle the most controversial cases in the high court involving constitutional issues and cases, dismissal of justices, judges and lawyers, and cases of transcendental importance.

The clerk of court also holds cases of writs of kalikasan, writs of amparo and habeas data.

The SC en banc Clerk of Court shall also sit as the Clerk of Court of the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) which handles the cases of the election protests for president and vice presidential contests, including the poll protest filed by former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Leonor Robredo.

The clerk of court also prepares the agenda for every Tuesday’s regular sessions of the justices or even during special sessions set by the en banc.