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Arturo M. De Castro Vs. Judicial and Bar Council, et al. [DISSENTING OPINION, J. CARPIO-MORALES]

ARTURO M. DE CASTRO, Petitioner, versus JUDICIAL AND BAR COUNCIL (JBC) and PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL – ARROYO, Respondents. [DISSENTING OPINION, J.CARPIO MORALES]

G.R. No. 191002 | 2010-03-17

D I S S E N T I N G  O P I N I O N

CARPIO MORALES, J.:



"Although the Chief Justice is primus inter pares, he cannot legally decide a case on his own because of the Court's nature as a collegial body. Neither can the Chief Justice, by himself, overturn the decision of the Court, whether of a division or the en banc."


- Associate Justice Renato C. Corona in Complaint of Mr. Aurelio Indencia Arrienda against Justice Puno, 499 Phil. 1, 14 (2005)


Primus Inter pares
. First among equals. The Latin maxim indicates that a person is the most senior of a group of people sharing the same rank or office. The phrase has been used to describe the...