JBC releases shortlist of candidates for new SC associate justice

MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) released on Friday its shortlist of candidates for the Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice position vacated by Lucas Bersamin when he was appointed chief justice.

A total of 13 candidates made it to the list, including Court of Appeals (CA) justices Edgardo Delos Santos and Amy Lazaro-Javier, who were leading the list with six votes each.

Meanwhile, Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) justice Roman Del Rosario and CA justices Japar Dimaampao and Ramon Garcia received five votes each.

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparao Cabotaje-Tang and CA justices Henri Jean-Paul Balinghasay Inting, Jhosep Ylarde Lopez, Mario Lopez, Eduardo Peralta Basa Jr., and Ricardo de Rivera Rosario got four votes.

SC Administrator Jose Midas Marquez and former Ateneo Law School dean Cesar Villanueva got four votes each.

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Bersamin as chief justice in November to replace former chief justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, who retired on October 8. /ee

READ: Bersamin, not most senior in SC, named 25th Chief Justice