28 vie for 2 seats in Supreme Court
MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Friday bared the list of 28 final applicants to the two Supreme Court seats to be vacated by Justices Francis Jardeleza and Antonio Carpio who are retiring on Sept. 26 and Oct. 26, respectively, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
The JBC, in an announcement issued by Supreme Court clerk of court and JBC ex-officio Secretary Edgar Aricheta, would interview the applicants by batches on Sept. 6, 9, 10 and 11.
18 from CA
Eighteen of the applicants are from the Court of Appeals (CA), namely Justices Samuel Gaerlan, Japar Dimaampao, Edwin Sorongon, Ramon Cruz, Ramon Bato Jr., Eduardo Peralta Jr., Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Garcia, Ricardo Rosario, Mario Lopez, Jhosep Lopez, Elihu Ybañez, Ma. Filomena Singh, Pablito Perez, Manuel Barrios, Edgardo delos Santos, Edgardo Lloren and Oscar Badelles.
Other applicants from the judiciary include court administrator Jose Midas Marquez, senior magistrates of the antigraft court Sandiganbayan led by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz, Alex Quiroz and Oscar Herrera Jr. and Davao City Regional Trial Court Judge Carlo Espero II.
Also in contention are Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Lanee Cui-David, former Justice Undersecretary Manuel Teehankee, former Ateneo Law School dean Cesar Villanueva and University of Asia and the Pacific School of Law and Governance professor Jeremy Benigno Gatdula.
Article continues after this advertisementThe public may submit a sworn complaint, report or opposition against any of the candidates by personal delivery, mail or email at the JBC office in Manila not later than Aug. 27.
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The seven-member JBC is the constitutional body tasked to screen and vet nominees to top positions in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The President will pick from a shortlist of at least three nominees per vacancy prepared by the JBC.
The council is chaired by the chief justice, with a member of Congress and the justice secretary as ex-officio members; and a retired Supreme Court justice and representatives from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, academe and private sector as regular members.
