Manila council endorses ex-councilor as SC associate justice

MANILA, Philippines—The Manila City Council on Thursday (June 27) passed a resolution endorsing the appointment of Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez as a Supreme Court associate justice.

The resolution, which would be be submitted to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), vouched for Lopez’s “outstanding track record as a lawmaker and his excellent performance in the Bar exams.”

Lopez served as councilor of Manila’s third district from 1992 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2006. He was also chief city prosecutor of Manila in February 2006.

Lopez is a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman and passed the Bar with a score of 84.55 percent.

He was appointed to the appeals court in 2012.

At least 23 candidates are vying for the position of associate Supreme Court justice that would be vacated on July 29 by Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, who is retiring. (Editor: Tony Bergonia)