Source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/02/04/10/loony-ex-judge-wants-be-chief-justice

MANILA, Philippines – A dismissed trial court judge who consulted a dwarf or “duwende” in deciding cases wants to become the Philippines’ next Chief Justice.

Former Malabon Regional Trial Court Judge Florentino Floro nominated himself to the top post in the judiciary, which will be vacated on May 17 when Chief Justice Reynato Puno retires.

One of the reasons Floro used to support his bid is his being a visionary and prophet. In his application, Floro attached a picture of himself with a stuffed toy dwarf.

Floro said he was able to predict the fall of former President Joseph Estrada in January 2001, the coming of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in 2009, and the November 23 Maguindanao massacre, the country’s worst election-related violent incident.

Floro was relieved from the service in 2006 after the Supreme Court found him to be mentally unfit to discharge his duties. He was found guilty of 7 out of 13 administrative charges filed against him by the Office of the Court Administrator.

While the Supreme Court said it had no authority to conclude that Floro was “insane,” it cited medical findings that he was “suffering from psychosis.”

Floro also nominated lawyers Henry Villarica and Gregorio Batiller, and incumbent Supreme Court Associate Justices Arturo Brion and Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Carpio-Morales, one of the five most senior justices of the Supreme Court, earlier informed the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) that she will only agree to be appointed Chief Justice if it will be made by the next President due to the midnight appointment ban.

An outgoing president is barred by the Constitution from issuing appointments two months before a presidential election and until the end his or her term.

Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Ombudsman Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio have also expressed willingness to be nominated for the chief justice post on the condition that the appointment is made by the next president.

Deputy Ombudsman, De Castro to vie for post

Meantime, deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Victor Fernandez, whose term of office ends on March 3, has applied for Chief Justice.

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De-Castro, former presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan, has reportedly expressed her interest in becoming Chief Justice.

“It was just relayed to me [that they applied],” Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said.

President Arroyo’s former chief of staff and chief presidential legal counsel, Associate Justice Renato Corona, on Wednesday informed the JBC that he is willing to be nominated for Chief Justice, but left it to the council to decide whether to submit its shortlist of nominees to President Arroyo or to the next President. — with a report from Timi Nubla, ABS-CBN News