Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has recused himself from the West Philippine (South China) Sea case pending before the high court after the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) accused him of being biased and prejudging the case. Carpio made the abrupt turnaround despite his earlier pronouncement that he would not inhibit from the case, stating that while “there is no compulsory ground to inhibit,” he would voluntarily do so for the sake of Solicitor General Jose Calida. The executive department, led by the solicitor general, had asked the high tribunal to order Carpio to inhibit himself, as he has already made pronouncements on the West Philippine Sea issue and he would be perceived as not being fair in deciding the case.

Carpio inhibits self in South China Sea case. (2019, July 3). The Manila Times, pp. A1, A2.