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De Castro rejects Ombudsman nomination
FILE: Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro turned down her nomination for Ombudsman post. (Photo: Supreme Court of the Philippines)
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro turned down the nomination for Ombudsman post.
De Castro, in a letter addressed to acting Chief Justice and Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) acting chairman Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, expressed her gratitude to retired Associate Justice Arturo Brion for endorsing her to the post, which will be vacated by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales in July.
“Although I am deeply moved and sincerely moved by, and thankful for, Justice Brion’s kind endorsement. I regret that I must decline the recommendation as I wish to continue serving the Supreme Court until I reach the compulsory retirement age,” her letter read.
As basis for the nomination, Brion cited De Castro’s 45 years in government service, wherein she served with competence, probity, and integrity.
Brion said that De Castro’s long years in the prosecutorial service for almost 19 years, in the Sandiganbayan for more than 10 years, not to mention her more than a decade of experience as an associate justice of the High Court, qualify her for the position of Ombudsman.
De Castro, who is set to retire from the SC this October, expressed hopes that the JBC would be successful in its search for the next Ombudsman.
“I wish you the best in the discharge of your constitutionally ordained duties,” she said.
Aside from De Castro, Solicitor General Jose Calida and House Majority Floor Leader and Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas also declined their nominations.
The JBC, the body that screens and shortlists applicants for judicial positions, closed the nomination and application for the position of Ombudsman on Tuesday, May 17.
Other applicants and nominees for the post reportedly include Special Prosecutor and former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Davao City regional trial court judges Carlos Espero II and Rowen Apao-Adlawan, President Duterte’s lawyer Edna Batacan, Duterte’s law school classmate Rex Rico, and Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.
