The Supreme Court has recommended to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) four names that will potentially take the position of Associate Justice Noel Tijam who will go on compulsory retirement on Jan. 5, 2019.
During Tuesday’s en banc, the Supreme Court voted for three Court of Appeals Associate Justices and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez.
Court of Appeals Justice Manuel Barrios got seven votes, while his colleagues at Ramon Bato Jr. and Ramon Garcia got six votes each, as did Marquez.
The high court’s vote is purely recommendatory.
Initially, there are 20 applicants for the position.
The JBC will soon deliberate to narrow down the list and submit it to President Rodrigo Duterte, who has 90 days from the vacancy of the post to make his choice. /atm