Groups support nomination of Midas Marquez as SC associate justice

SC Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

Various organizations have expressed support for the nomination of Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez as Supreme Court associate justice.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has received separate letters endorsing Marquez from the Philippine Judges Association (PJA), Philippine Trial Judges League (PTJL), and the Metropolitan and City Judges Association of the Philippines (MetCJAP).

The Philippine Association of Court Employees (Pace) has submitted a similar letter to the JBC, backing the nomination of Marquez.

“He is firm, courageous, loyal to the institution, and truly a man of principles, who works hard for the intersect and welfare of judges,” the PJA said in its letters. “More, as a person, he is humble, but strong in character. He is approachable but firm an uncompromising in his decision. His exemplary performance, dedication to service and commitment to work, as well as in all his undertakings, are qualities that placed him above the rest.”

On the other hand, the PTJL noted Marquez’s “reputation for being apolitical and for having a deeply ingrained sense of moral uprightness befitting the other constitutional-required traits of independence and integrity.”

The JBC has shortlisted Marquez, after obtaining six votes, for the SC post to be vacated by Associated Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., who retires in August.

The others in the shortlist are six associate justices of the Court of Appeals – Jose Reyes Jr., Amy Lazaro-Javier, Ramon Garcia, Apolinario Bruselas, Rosmari Carandang and Ramon Hernando.

Also in the list is Cesar Villanueva, former dean of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law. /atm