Few visitors walking at the hall housing the golden seal of the Supreme Court. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON
The nomination and application for the next Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice is now closed, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said on Friday.
The position became vacant after the mandatory retirement of Chief Justice Teresita de Castro on Oct. 10.
In a text message from Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who is also an ex-officio member of the JBC, said there are a total of five aspirants for the SC post.
The Chief Justice aspirants include Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin, Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr.
The JBC opened the nomination for the Chief Justice position last Sept. 29. Only nominations with a letter of acceptance from the nominees will be processed as per JBC rules.
READ: JBC opens nomination for Chief Justice position on Sept. 29
The five most senior Associate Justices of the Supreme Court are automatically nominated but they still need to submit a letter of acceptance and other requirements.
Bersamin, the fourth most senior associate justice of the High Court, was the first candidate to accept the nomination.
READ: Bersamin accepts automatic nomination for Chief Justice
Carpio accepted his nomination last Oct. 12. He initially declined his nomination for the post when former Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno was ousted from the High Court through a quo warranto petition.
De Castro then replaced Sereno as Chief Justice after being appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Last Oct. 15, Reyes and Bernabe also accepted their automatic nomination. /jpv
READ: 2 more associate justices accept nomination for top SC post