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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CAYETANO Arellano, who served from 1902 to 1920, held the offi ce of chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines 18 years and 294 days, the longest period in history. Arellano’s age, 73 years and 29 days, was also the greatest age ever reached by an incumbent chief justice, which is unlikely to be broken with the current mandatory retirement age of 70.

Pedro Yap, who served for only 73 days in 1988, held the shortest tenure as chief justice. The other chief justices who

served for less than a year were Felix Makasiar (85 days), Ra-mon Aquino (78 days) and Ar-temio Panganiban (352 days). These chief justices, except Aquino, left offi ce when they reached the mandatory retire-ment 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 chief justice upon appointment was Pedro Yap, who was 69 years and 292 days old.

By Macon R. Araneta

A RANKING offi cial of the Phil-ippine Medical Association on Friday denied that the cardiologist of former President and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo retract-ed his statement about his patient’s life-threatening condition.

Group vice president Leo Olarte told the Manila Standard that Ro-berto Anastacio did not “fl ip-fl op”.

“There was no fl ip-fl opping because, according to him, he was merely misinterpreted and mis-quoted by the media,” Olarte said.

At a press conference in a res-taurant near the Makati Medical Center on Aug. 17, Olarte had said that Anastacio had told them that he talked about the condition of the heart of the former President, which was within his expertise because he was a cardiologist.

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Christine F. Herrera

THE Integrated Bar of the Phil-ippines on Friday welcomed the appointment of Associate Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno as the 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

IBP president Roan Libarios

expressed optimism that Sereno would carry out reforms in the Judiciary.

“She will be a reform-oriented chief justice,” Libarios said, not-ing that Sereno placed second in the mock polls of the IBP.

The IBP offi cial also expressed hope that the new chief justice would strongly adhere to indepen-dence of the Judiciary.

“We need our SC to remain an independent branch of gov-ernment,” Libarios said in a text message.

Lawyer Vince Lazatin, execu-tive director of Transparency and Accountability Network, said he felt Sereno had so far shown “an independent mind.”

Senators were happy with the President’s choice as well.

WASHINGTON offi cials said on Thursday that the United States government was con-sidering expanding its missile defenses in Asia by putting up a radar system in Japan and in Southeast Asia, including pos-sibly the Philippines.

According to Bloomberg, the plan to boost the US’s missile defenses in Asia is in response to threats from North Korea and aggressive moves by China in the South China Sea.

Two US offi cials said the Pentagon had been discussing with Japan a new radar installa-tion on a southern Japanese is-land. An eventual installation in Southeast Asia would complete a more robust defense system if a location can be found, one of the offi cials said.

The Pentagon’s willingness to make it known that new in-stallations of advanced X-Band radar arrays made by Raytheon

By Florante S. Solmerin

THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front said on Thursday that fi ghters from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement led by Ameril Umbra Kato and mem-bers of the defunct Moro National Liberation Front had joined forces in battling government troops.

The MILF said the MNLF-BILFM allied forces were the ones who launched simultaneous attacks on military detachments in Maguindanao early this month.

According to MILF, the MN-LF-BIFM fi ghters have even

By Joyce Pangco Pañares and Laila Gomez

PRESIDENT Aquino, in a white barong with a black arm band, stood beside the widow and three daugh-ters of Interior and Local Govern-

ment Secretary Jesse Robredo on Friday as honor guards carried his casket into Kalayaan Hall in Mala-canang for a three-day state funeral.

Presidential helicopters dropped white and yellow confetti as the casket was being brought into the

historic Kalayaan Hall, where Ro-bredo’s remains will lie in state until Sunday, offi cials said.

“Presidential guards in blue gala uniform wearing white “Shako” hats (it resembles a salakot, a cone-shaped native hat) carried the cas-

ket into the hall,” said presidential guard head Col. Nestor Herico.

Robredo’s remains will be cre-mated and buried on Tuesday in Naga City, where he will be given full military honors including a

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino was confi dent Sereno, whom he appoint-ed to the 15-member tribunal in 2010, would lead judicial reforms.

The 52-year-old Sereno could serve up to 18 years until retire-ment at 70.

She replaces former chief jus-tice Renato Corona, who was im-peached and convicted in May for not disclosing some $2.4 million in bank accounts.

Mr. Aquino, who led the cam-paign to oust Corona, called him an obstacle in his anti-corruption campaign.

Sereno bested seven other can-didates: acting Supreme Court Chief Justice Antonio Carpio; As-sociate Justices Roberto Abad,

Arturo Brion, and Teresita Leon-ardo De Castro; Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, ex-Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva and former congressman Ronaldo Zamora.

In a brief interview at the Su-preme Court lobby Friday night, Sereno said she was thankful for her appointment.

“First of all, I give all the glory to God. To the President, I thank you very much, she said.

She also thanked the media “for partnering with us in the Judiciary” and promised to issue a more lengthy statement in the next few days.

Sereno was Mr. Aquino’s fi rst appointee to the Supreme Court and the youngest among the nominees.

By Sara D. Fabunan

FOREIGN Affairs on Friday said Manila had been express-ing its regrets to Hong Kong on many occasions following a renewed demand for an apology from the families of the eight Hong Kong tourists who were killed during a hostage crisis in Manila two years ago.

The department made the statement after the families of the eight slain tourists on Thursday trooped to the Philippine Consul-ate in Hong Kong and demanded that President Benigno Aquino III apologize for the incident that took place on Aug. 23, 2010.

“The Philippine government, including its highest offi cials, have, on many occasions, ex-pressed deep regret and sorrow for the unfortunate incident,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said.

That incident took place when a dismissed policeman, Rolando Mendoza, hijacked a tourist bus carrying 25 people—20 tourists and a tour guide from Hong Kong and four Filipinos—in an attempt to get his job back, saying he had been summarily and unfairly dismissed and that all he wanted was a fair hearing and the opportunity to defend himself.

The annointed one. Maria Lourdes Sereno, the fi rst woman chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Malacañang ritual. Six friends chosen to serve as pall bearers prepare to carry the casket of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo into the his-toric Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang. Inset shows President Aquino standing beside the fl ag-draped casket during the memorial service in the palace.

Confetti rains as Robredo’s casket arrives in Palace

PH may behost to USregional radar site

Moro rebelfaction joinsKato’s forces

Medical group downplaysmember’s ‘fl ip-fl op’ issue

Long line of legal luminariesin Supreme Court’s history

Lawyers, solons welcome Aquino’s choice

2010 HOSTAGE-TAKING

No further apologyforthcoming—DFA

Nation’s first female chief justice to serve for 18 years

Sereno is itSereno is itTODAY

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Vol. XXVI No. 164 12 Pages, 2 Sections P18.00 Saturday, August 25, 2012 TODAYVol. XXVI No. 164 12 Pages, 2 Sections 12 Pages, 2 Sections P18.00 P18.00 P18.00 Saturday, August 25, 2012 Saturday, August 25, 2012 Saturday, August 25, 2012 Saturday, August 25, 2012 Saturday, August 25, 2012

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List of Chief Justices Term of Office 1 Cayetano Arellano | June 11, 1901 – April 1, 1920 2 Victorino Mapa | July 1, 1920 – October 31, 1921 3 Manuel Araullo | November 1, 1921 – July 26, 1924 4 Ramón Avanceña | April 1, 1925 – December 24, 1941 5 José Abad Santos† | December 24, 1941 – May 7, 1942 6 José Yulo | February 5, 1942 – July 9, 1945 7 Manuel Moran | July 9, 1945 – March 20, 1951 8 Ricardo Paras | April 2, 1951 – February 17, 1961 9 César Bengzon | April 28, 1961 – May 29, 1966 10 Roberto Concepcion | June 17, 1966 – April 18, 1973 11 Querube Makalintal | October 21, 1973 – Dec.22, 1975 12 Fred Ruiz Castro | January 5, 1976 – April 19, 1979 13 Enrique Fernando | July 2, 1979 – July 24, 1985 14 Felix Makasiar | July 25, 1985 – November 19, 1985 15 Ramon Aquino | November 20, 1985 – March 6, 1986 16 Claudio Teehankee | April 2, 1986 – April 18, 1988 17 Pedro Yap | April 18 – July 1, 1988 18 Marcelo Fernan | July 1, 1988 – December 6, 1991 19 Andres Narvasa | December 8, 1991 – Nov. 30, 1998 20 Hilario Davide, Jr. | November 30, 1998 – Dec. 20, 2005 21 Artemio Panganiban | December 20, 2005 – Dec. 7, 2006 22 Reynato Puno | December 8, 2006 – May 17, 2010 23 Renato Corona * | May 17, 2010 – May 29, 201224 Maria Lourdes Sereno | August 25, 2012 – current† José Abad Santos was unable to preside over the Supreme

Court of the Philippines due to the outbreak of World War II. * Renato Corona was impeached on Dec. 12, 2011 and con-

victed on May 29, 2012. Antonio Carpio is serving as the Acting Chief Justice.

(Source: Wikipedia.org)

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By Joyce Pangco Panares and Rey E. Requejo

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Friday appointed Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice of the Supreme Court, making her the fi rst woman to occupy that position that was vacated after her predecessor was re-moved for violating the Constitution.