MANILA, Philippines ? The Manila Regional Trial Court judge who issued an arrest warrant for Sen. Panfilo Lacson last week in connection with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case is among nine magistrates the Judicial Bar Council (JBC) will nominate for a seat in the Court of Appeals.

The eight-member JBC met on Monday and narrowed from 32 to nine its list of nominees to be submitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to fill three vacancies in the appellate court.

Sen. Francis Escudero, JBC member representing the Senate, said Judge Myra Garcia Fernandez?s nomination was ?nearly unanimous.?

Escudero admitted that he was the lone member who did not vote for her.

Asked why, he said he was merely exercising his discretion as a member, and that he based his decision on the qualifications of the candidates.

The other nominees are RTC Judges Zelma Alaras, Reynaldo Alhambra, Abraham Boreta, Pedro Corrales, Alice Gutierrez, Manuel Luna Jr., Eduardo Peralta Jr. and Raul Villanueva.

Fernandez is trying the November 2000 double murder case of publicist Salvador ?Bubby? Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito.

The judge issued on Friday an arrest order for Lacson, who was implicated by a state witness. Lacson has fled the country.

Fernandez?s nomination to the CA post did not surprise lawyer Alex Avisado, Lacson?s legal spokesperson.

?This only confirms our announcement that the judge was actively seeking her promotion to the CA. She has ambitions to be promoted,? Avisado said in a phone interview.

But Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez defended Fernandez?s nomination, saying that her application was filed way ahead of her handling of the Dacer-Corbito case.

?I don?t think her inclusion in the list has anything to do with that,? Marquez told reporters. He said the JBC interviewed Fernandez ?several months ago.?

?Her record is clean. In fact, she is one of our outstanding judges. She really deserves to be in the shortlist,? said Marquez, also the Supreme Court spokesperson.

The three appellate court seats were left vacant by the recent appointment to the Supreme Court of Justices Lucas Bersamin and Mariano del Castillo, and the recent retirement of Monina Zeñarosa. Christine O. Avendaño and Norman Bordadora