SC Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin. (Photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRET.net)
The Supreme Court has voted on its own preference for the next Chief Justice.
During Tuesday’s en banc (full court) session, 10 justices voted for Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin; Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Teresita Leonardo-De Castro obtained nine votes each while Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. got two votes.
Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, the current chairman of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), will inform the council of the high court’s voting result.
The JBC will convene on August 3 to assess aspirants to the post vacated by ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Bersamin, De Castro and Peralta were among the five senior associate justices that were automatically nominated for the CJ post by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).
The two other senior magistrates who were automatically considered for the position were acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Presbitero Velasco Jr. Carpio declined the nomination while Velasco has not submitted a letter accepting the nomination considering that he will mandatory retire next month.
Also vying for the CJ post is Tagum City, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 11 Presiding Judge Virginia Tehano – Ang.
De Castro, Bersamin and Peralta were among the six justices who were sought by Sereno to inhibit from participating in the deliberation of the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida seeking the nullification of her appointment as chief magistrate for failure to comply with requirements to qualify for the post.
The Court eventually granted the petition in a decision issued last May 11, 2018 which became final on June 19, 2018.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the President has 90 days or until September 16 from vacancy to fill up the post./kga