Carpio bids farewell to SC in last flag ceremony

FILE: Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio bids farewell to his colleagues and officials and employees in the Supreme Court in his address today in the second week of the 2019 SC Summer Session in Baguio City. Speaking after the flag ceremony, SAJ Carpio shares that he never missed attending the SC Summer Session in his 18 years in the High Court. SAJ Carpio is due to mandatorily retire on October 26 this year. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office via Supreme Court of the Philippines/Website)

MANILA — Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio bade farewell to the Supreme Court (SC) during a flag-raising ceremony on Monday, ahead of his scheduled retirement on Oct. 26 when he completes an 18-year stint as magistrate of the high court.

In his speech, Carpio thanked SC employees and colleagues for their “unselfish support”.

“Eighteen years ago I stood here on this very spot to introduce myself as the newly appointed justice of the court.

I then asked for your support to help me dispense justice to our people. After 18 years I stand here on this same spot to thank you for your unselfish support and to bid you farewell as I retire midnight of Friday this week,” Carpio said.

“I dare say that my colleagues in the en banc and my co-workers in the SC family have always shown utmost dedication and professionalism in their work and service to the Filipino people, so let me say a big thank you to all of you,” he added.

Last week, the high court, acknowledging his service to the judiciary, voted to grant Carpio full retirement privileges for a chief justice.

Carpio, who will retire at the mandatory age of 70, is one of the longest-serving magistrates since the Supreme Court was established in 1901. His replacement will be President Rodrigo Duterte’s 12th appointee to the SC.

Carpio was able to complete 935 full-blown long decisions, 79 dissenting opinions, 30 concurring opinions, 13 separate opinions and four concurring and dissenting opinions, leaving no backlog.