Only 4 candidates vying for SC top post

MANILA, Philippines — Only four people will vie for the top Supreme Court position as the deadline set by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) closes Monday with no other applicants.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, an ex-officio member of the JBC said: “There are no additional applicants for the CJ [chief justice] position.”

The court’s public information chief and spokesman. Brian Keith Hosaka, said he had not received information on additional applicants for the position.

The four aspirants for the post are Associate Justices Diosdado M. Peralta, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Andres Reyes Jr., and Jose C. Reyes Jr.

Only Peralta and Bernabe are automatically nominated, being among the five most senior justices of the Supreme Court.

Andres Reyes Jr., on the other hand, was nominated, and Jose Reyes Jr. applied.

The post will become vacant upon the mandatory retirement of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Oct. 18.

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