Conchita Carpio-Morales
Encyclopedia
Conchita Carpio-Morales (born June 19, 1941) is the newly appointed and current Ombudsman of the Philippines. She was previously an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
.
Carpio-Morales is married to Eugenio T. Morales, Jr., with whom she has two sons, Eugenio III and Umberto.
. She is the daughter of Lucas D. Carpio, a judge
, and Maria Claudio Carpio.
In 1964, Carpio-Morales earned a Bachelor's degree
in Economics
at the University of the Philippines
. In 1968, she earned a Bachelor of Laws
at the University of the Philippines College of Law
.
From 1968 to 1971, she started her career in a Manila
law firm
where she was an Assistant Attorney. In 1971, a former University of the Philippines
professor
of Carpio-Morales, Secretary of Justice Vicente Abad Santos
, took her in as a Special Assistant at the Department of Justice
. From 1971 to 1983, Carpio-Morales worked at the Department of Justice
as assistant, lawyer
, researcher
, assistant special lawyer and senior state counsel
before she became a judge
.
Between 1983 to 1986, President
Ferdinand Marcos
appointed Carpio-Morales as a trial court
judge
in Pili, Camarines Sur
. On November 4, 1986, President Corazon Aquino
appointed Carpio-Morales as trial court
judge
in Pasay City
.
In 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos
appointed her to the Philippine Court of Appeals
. She headed the 7th Division of the Court of Appeals.
In 2000, Carpio-Morales was a bar examiner in legal ethics
. She also conferred the Ulirang Ina Award for Law and the Judiciary by the National Mother's Day & Father's Day Foundation, Inc.
On September 3, 2002, upon the unanimous endorsement of the members of the Judicial and Bar Council
, Carpio-Morales was appointed to the high court by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Traditionally, it is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines who administers the oath of office
to the incoming President
and the Vice President
, however, incoming President Benigno Aquino III
refused to allow Chief Justice Renato Corona
to swear him into office, due to Aquino's opposition to the midnight appointment of Corona by outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
on May 12, 2010, two days after the 2010 elections
and a month before Arroyo's term expires. Instead, Aquino formally requested Associate Justice
Carpio-Morales, who opposed the midnight appointment of Corona, to swear him into office. On June 30, 2010, President
Benigno Aquino III
and Vice President
Jejomar Binay
took the oath of office at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park
, Manila
. The oath of office was administered by Associate Justice
Carpio-Morales, who officially accepted Aquino's request to swear him into office, reminiscent of the decision of Aquino's mother, President Corazon Aquino
, who in 1986, was sworn into the presidency by Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee. She is also the first female magistrate to administer the oath of office of the President of the Philippines
On July 25, 2011, during his State of the Nation Address, President
Noynoy Aquino announced the appointment of Carpio-Morales as Ombudsman of the Philippines.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is one of 15 members of the Philippine Supreme Court, the highest court in the Philippines. The Chief Justice presides over the High Court, but carries only 1 of the 15 votes in the court...
.
Carpio-Morales is married to Eugenio T. Morales, Jr., with whom she has two sons, Eugenio III and Umberto.
Profile
She was born on June 19, 1941 in Paoay, Ilocos NorteIlocos Norte
Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south...
. She is the daughter of Lucas D. Carpio, a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, and Maria Claudio Carpio.
In 1964, Carpio-Morales earned a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
. In 1968, she earned a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
at the University of the Philippines College of Law
University of the Philippines College of Law
University of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
.
From 1968 to 1971, she started her career in a Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
where she was an Assistant Attorney. In 1971, a former University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Carpio-Morales, Secretary of Justice Vicente Abad Santos
Vicente Abad Santos
Vicente Abad Santos was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.-Profile:He was born in San Fernando, in Pampanga province of central Luzon...
, took her in as a Special Assistant at the Department of Justice
Department of Justice (Philippines)
The Department of Justice , abbreviated as DOJ, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines...
. From 1971 to 1983, Carpio-Morales worked at the Department of Justice
Department of Justice (Philippines)
The Department of Justice , abbreviated as DOJ, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines...
as assistant, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, researcher
Researcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
, assistant special lawyer and senior state counsel
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
before she became a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
.
Between 1983 to 1986, President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
appointed Carpio-Morales as a trial court
Trial court
A trial court or court of first instance is a court in which trials take place. Such courts are said to have original jurisdiction.- In the United States :...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in Pili, Camarines Sur
Pili, Camarines Sur
Pili is a 1st class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Camarines Sur. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 76,496 people.-History:...
. On November 4, 1986, President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
appointed Carpio-Morales as trial court
Trial court
A trial court or court of first instance is a court in which trials take place. Such courts are said to have original jurisdiction.- In the United States :...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in Pasay City
Pasay City
The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
.
In 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...
appointed her to the Philippine Court of Appeals
Philippine Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of the Philippines is the Philippines' second highest judicial court, just after the Supreme Court. The court consists of 68 Associate Justices and 1 Presiding Justice...
. She headed the 7th Division of the Court of Appeals.
In 2000, Carpio-Morales was a bar examiner in legal ethics
Legal ethics
Legal ethics encompasses an ethical code governing the conduct of persons engaged in the practice of law and persons more generally in the legal sector.-In the United States:...
. She also conferred the Ulirang Ina Award for Law and the Judiciary by the National Mother's Day & Father's Day Foundation, Inc.
On September 3, 2002, upon the unanimous endorsement of the members of the Judicial and Bar Council
Judicial and Bar Council
The Judicial and Bar Council of the Philippines is a constitutionally-created body that recommends appointees for vacancies that may arise in the composition of the Supreme Court and other lower courts.-Composition:...
, Carpio-Morales was appointed to the high court by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Traditionally, it is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines who administers the oath of office
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
to the incoming President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
and the Vice President
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
, however, incoming President Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
refused to allow Chief Justice Renato Corona
Renato Corona
Renato C. Corona is the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed to the Court on April 9, 2002 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo...
to swear him into office, due to Aquino's opposition to the midnight appointment of Corona by outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
on May 12, 2010, two days after the 2010 elections
Philippine general election, 2010
Elections for all positions in the Philippines above the barangay were held on Monday, May 10, 2010. The elected president will become the 15th President of the Philippines, succeeding President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is barred from seeking re-election due to term restrictions...
and a month before Arroyo's term expires. Instead, Aquino formally requested Associate Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is one of 15 members of the Philippine Supreme Court, the highest court in the Philippines. The Chief Justice presides over the High Court, but carries only 1 of the 15 votes in the court...
Carpio-Morales, who opposed the midnight appointment of Corona, to swear him into office. On June 30, 2010, President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
and Vice President
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. , also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010...
took the oath of office at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park
Rizal Park
Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park or colloquially Luneta, is a historical urban park located in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines, adjacent to the old walled city of Manila, now Intramuros. Since the Spanish Colonial Era, the park has been a favorite spot for unwinding, socializing,...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The oath of office was administered by Associate Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is one of 15 members of the Philippine Supreme Court, the highest court in the Philippines. The Chief Justice presides over the High Court, but carries only 1 of the 15 votes in the court...
Carpio-Morales, who officially accepted Aquino's request to swear him into office, reminiscent of the decision of Aquino's mother, President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
, who in 1986, was sworn into the presidency by Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee. She is also the first female magistrate to administer the oath of office of the President of the Philippines
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
On July 25, 2011, during his State of the Nation Address, President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Noynoy Aquino announced the appointment of Carpio-Morales as Ombudsman of the Philippines.
Some notable opinions
- John Hay Peoples Alternative Coalition v. Lim (2003) — on authority of the PresidentPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
to grant tax exemptions without congressional authorization - Francisco v. House of Representatives (2003) — on the impeachmentImpeachmentImpeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
resolution against Chief JusticeChief Justice of the PhilippinesThe Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines presides over the Supreme Court of the Philippines and is the highest judicial officer of the government of the Philippines...
Hilario Davide, Jr.Hilario Davide, Jr.Hilario Gelbolingo Davide, Jr, GCSS is a former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York City.... - La Bugal- B’Laan Tribal Association, Inc. v. Ramos I (2004) and II (2004) - Dissenting — on the constitutionalityConstitutionalityConstitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
of the Mining Act of 1995 (Dissent joined by J. Ynares-SantiagoConsuelo Ynares-SantiagoConsuelo Ynares-Santiago is an incumbent Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. She was appointed to the Court by President Joseph Estrada.-Profile:...
) - Tecson v. COMELEC (2004) - Dissenting — on the nationality of presidentialPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
candidate Fernando Poe, Jr.Fernando Poe, Jr.Ronald Allan Poe y Kelley , better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King, was a Filipino actor and cultural icon. From the 1950s, Poe played steadfast film heroes who fight for the common man, which won him respect and admiration...
(joined by J. QuisumbingLeonardo QuisumbingLeonardo A. Quisumbing was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed by President Fidel Ramos in 1998 and retired as the most senior Associate Justice of the Court on his 70th birthday in 2009....
and CoronaRenato CoronaRenato C. Corona is the incumbent Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed to the Court on April 9, 2002 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo...
) - Central Bank Employees v. BSP (2004) - Dissenting — on claims for wage increases of government employees in accordance with equal protection clauseEqual Protection ClauseThe Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"...
even absent enabling legislationLegislationLegislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it... - CSC v. DBM (2005) — on fiscal autonomy of Civil Service Commission
- Yuchengco v. Sandiganbayan (2006) — on the recovery of shares of stock in PLDTPhilippine Long Distance Telephone CompanyThe Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company commonly known as PLDT, is the largest telecommunications company in the Philippines. PLDT is also the largest company in the Philippines, ranked 1138th in the April 2009 update, and 1080th in the April 2010 update, of Forbes' Global 2000 list...
as part of the ill-gotten wealth of Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand MarcosFerdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate... - Senate v. Ermita (2006) — on validity of presidentialPresident of the PhilippinesThe President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
ban prohibiting executive officials testifying before legislative inquiriesCongressional hearingCongressional hearings are the principal formal method by which committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Whether confirmation hearings — a procedure unique to the Senate — legislative, oversight, investigative, or a combination of these, all...
without presidential consent - Santos-Concio v. Department of Justice (2008) — on the DOJ's conduct of preliminary investigation of the Wowoweee stampede incident
- Trillanes IV v. Pimentel, Sr. (2008) — on the general and blanket request of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is detained for rebellion charges, to attend Senate Sessions
- The Province of North Cotabato v. Republic (2008) - "on the unconstitutionality of the Memorandum of AgreementMemorandum of AgreementA memorandum of agreement or cooperative agreement is a document written between parties to cooperatively work together on an agreed upon project or meet an agreed objective. The purpose of an MOA is to have a written understanding of the agreement between parties.An MOA is a good tool to use for...
on the Ancestral Domain Aspect (MOA-AD) of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP)-Moro Islamic Liberation FrontMoro Islamic Liberation FrontThe Moro Islamic Liberation Front is an Islamist group located in the southern Philippines. It is one of two Islamic militant groups, the other being the Abu Sayyaf, that are fighting against Government of the Philippines...
(MILF) Tripoli AgreementTripoli AgreementThe Tripoli Agreement was signed on February 8, 2006, by Chadian President Idriss Déby, Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, effectively ending the Chadian-Sudanese conflict that has devastated border towns in eastern Chad and the Darfur region of western...
on Peace of 2001 - Topacio v. Ong (2008) - "on the qualification status of Justice Gregory Ong as Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan
- Strategic Alliance Development Corporation v. Radstock Securities Ltd. (2009) - Concurring — on the multi-billion peso compromise agreement between Radstock Securities Limited and Philippine National Construction Corporation
- De Castro v. Judicial and Bar Council - Dissenting(March 2010) and - Dissenting(April 2010) — on the President's power to appoint the Chief Justice vis-a-vis the Constitutional prohibition against appointments during the presidential election period.