Supreme Court justice: Attending flag-raising ceremony not a requirement

MANILA -- Senior Associate Justice Carpio broke his silence over reports that he and other magistrates have been skipping the weekly flag-raising ceremonies in protest to the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice.

Carpio, along with other senior members of the Supreme Court, were noticeably absent from the activity since Sereno took over the judiciary in late August. Her appointment defied the seniority tradition in the Court, dashing hopes of other justices to make it on top someday.

"It's up to you if want to attend (the flag-raising) or not," Carpio told reporters late Monday.

Carpio said the justices will rally behind Sereno "because she is the Chief Justice" but sources related the chief magistrate failed to earn the trust and confidence of her senior colleagues.

The non-attendance of some justices should not be seen as lack of support for Sereno, added Carpio, who led the High Court for two months after the ouster of then Chief Justice Renato Corona on May 29.

"Don't look at that too much. You look at the decisions at the end of the day. You look at the decisions of the Supreme Court, how they vote and what decisions they took. I think those are the things that are more important," he said.

Earlier, noted election lawyer Romulo Macalintal warned of possible impeachment case against the justices for violating the Philippine Flag law, which requires all government offices and educational institutions to observe the flag-raising ceremony every Monday morning.

Macalintal said failing to follow the law would make the justices accountable for betrayal of public trust, one of the grounds for the removal of constitutional officers like the members of the High Court. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)