Associate Justice Antonio Carpio is now the acting chief justice of the Supreme Court after ex-chief magistrate Renato Corona was convicted.

Carpio is also one of those being eyed to replace Corona.

However, former Senator Rene Saguisag, in an ABS-CBN news report, said Carpio's appointment would create controversy because Corona accused him of backing the impeachment trial.

Carpio was also nominated as chief justice in 2010 but he did not accept it due to a ban on "midnight appointments", thus Corona was named CJ.

Saguisag said a better CJ would be Associate Justice Roberto Abad who will retire in 2014 when he reaches 70, the mandatory retirement age.

HUNT FOR NEXT CJ ON

Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero said the Judicial and Bar Council, of which he is a Senate representative, should convene soon in order to find a replacement for Corona in order to avoid a "vacuum" in the Supreme Court.

Escudero said the Constitution mandates that the vacated seat must be filled within three months.

But, "I am hoping that the vetting will be from the outside circle of the President's official family, friends and the current Supreme Court composition so that we strictly adhere to the new leaf we all are looking forward to. The nation has been heavily divided with the recent impeachment exercise, it's time for all of us to work for healing, reconciliation so we can already move on and move forward," Escudero said.

He added that all applicants and nominees should execute a waiver on bank secrecy and their SALN.

"As I have said in my explanation of vote yesterday, from now on, we should measure everyone aspiring to join the government with the measure we used on former CJ Corona".

In response, Gleo Guerra, the new SC spokesperson said that the SC en banc has agreed to disclose their SALNs.

"It was the collective decision of the Court to release the SALNs in full, not summaries," she said.

MOVING ON

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines urged the public to move on and put the interest of the country forward.

"I would like to underline that we can think of the things that can unite us, think of the things that can make us one and help each other, put our talents and gifts at the service of the people and believe that there is something good for the Filipino people in the near future," CBCP president and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said in an interview over Church-run Radyo Veritas.

He said that the impeachment trial was divisive, but people should respect the judgment of the court.

MAJOR STEP

Meanwhile, Makati Business Club President Ramon del Rosario said the conviction is a major step forward in the present administration's anti-graft and corruption drive. He added that foreign investors are interested in investing in the Philippines because of this.

In an ABS-CBN news report, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) president Aurelio Montinola said: "If the role model is good and perceived to govern well and not be corrupt, then the industry players will fall in line. It makes a difference."

Meanwhile, the business community continues to work on the Integrity Initiative, a pledge to eliminate bribes they pay to government officials.*with reports from abs-cbnnews.com and ANC