The Supreme Court (SC) has re-organized the membership in its three divisions with the assumption to office of newly appointed Associate Justice Priscilla J. Baltazar Padilla.
The first division is now composed of Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta with Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa (working chairperson), Jose C. Reyes Jr., Amy C. Lazaro Javier and Mario V. Lopez as members.
The second division is composed of Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas Bernabe (chairperson) and Associate Justices Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Edgardo L. Delos Santos, and Padilla as members.
Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen heads the third division as chairperson with Associate Justices Alexander G. Gesmundo, Rosmari D. Carandang, Rodil V. Zalameda, and Samuel H. Gaerlan as members.
The appointment of Padilla, who was plucked out of the Court of Appeals – the second highest court in the country -- by President Duterte last week, completed the membership in the 15-justice SC.
The SC meets as a full court on Tuesdays and conducts division sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays. Chief Justice Peralta, however, can call for special sessions when needed.
Meantime there will be no work at the SC offices on Padre Faura Street in Ermita, Manila for three days starting Monday (July 20).
The SC has started disinfecting, cleaning and sanitizing all its offices “in the light of increasing number of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases,” Peralta said
The repeat rapid anti-body testing of all justices, officials and employees will resume on July 23, he said.
But the signing of the roll of attorneys for those who passed the 2019 bar examinations and who took their oaths as lawyers will continue, he added.
Only on-duty personnel of the Office of the Bar Confidant, Cash Collection and Disbursement Division, Finance Management, Medical Services and Security Division will be authorized to report to report during the three-day period of work suspension.