MANILA — Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio said he would not hesitate to lead the judiciary, further fueling hints he might accept his automatic nomination as the country's top judge, according to a report published in the GMA News, Friday. Carpio made the statement during a chance interview after delivering a speech at the Central Luzon Integrated Bar of the Philippines regional convention in Pampanga. “I will not turn down any challenge to lead the judiciary if given the opportunity,” Carpio said, adding it was actually “part of his work” to do so. Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) regular member for the academe Jose Mejia, however, told GMA News that they have yet to receive Carpio's acceptance of his endorsement. Carpio is currently acting as chief justice while the JBC searches for a possible replacement of ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona. From the JBC's shortlist of at least three nominees, President Benigno Aquino III will have to pick an appointee. Since assuming his post in 2010, Aquino has so far installed three justices at the high court: Associate Justices Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Jose Perez and Estela Perlas-Bernabe. All three justices and their remaining 11 colleagues have all been nominated to the post, but Bernabe, Mariano del Castillo, Bienvenido Reyes, and Jose Mendoza have already declined. Carpio is among five most senior justices automatically nominated for the post. He is joined by Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion, and Diosdado Peralta. Indonesia to send peace monitoring team The Indonesian government, Friday, decided to send at least 15 observers to monitor and help maintain the ceasefire brokered between the MILF and the Philippine government, said an official, according to a report published in the Zamboanga Today. The delegation, to be part of the international monitoring team, includes 10 military personnel and five non-military members, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa announced in Jakarta, calling it “Indonesia's contribution to world peace”. — Agencies
