SC reorganizes divisions after del Castillo’s retirement

FILE: Supreme Court of the Philippines (File Photo By Mike Gonzalez (TheCoffee) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has reorganized its divisions following the retirement of Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo.

The first division now consists of Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin as chairman, with Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas Bernabe as working chairperson. Its other members are Associate Justices Francis H. Jardeleza, Alexander G. Gesmundo, and Rosmari D. Carandang.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio now heads the second division with Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Jose C. Reyes Jr., and Amy C. Lazaro Javier as regular members. Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting was designated as additional member to complete the membership of five justices per division.

The third division is headed by Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta with Associate Justices Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen, Andres B. Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul L. Hernando, and Inting as regular members.

The raffle committees have also been reorganized. Carpio still heads the committee for the court en banc with Bernabe and Jardeleza as members.

Peralta heads the committee for division raffle with Leonen and Caguioa as members.

The divisions hold sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The full court, headed by Chief Justice Bersamin, meets every Tuesday.

Under the rules, the divisions and the full court may call special sessions when needed.