MANILA, Philippines — A total of 13 nominees have been included by the Judicial and Bar Council’s (JBC) list of possible candidates to take the position vacated by Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza who mandatorily retired last Sept. 26.
The Court of Appeals Associate Justices on the list are Apolinario Bruselas, Ramon A. Alcala, Edgardo L. Delos Santos, Japar B. Dimaampao, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Ramon Garcia, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Mario V. Lopez, Maria Filomena D. Singh, Edwin D. Sorongon and Elihu A. Ybañez.
Other aspirants included in the shortlist are Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez.
The JBC will forward the shortlist to President Rodrigo Duterte for his choice.
The seven-member JBC is constitutionally mandated to vet aspirants to the top Judiciary and Ombudsman post and submit the shortlist to the President who will make the final choice.
Aside from Jardeleza, two other magistrates are set to mandatory retire this year–Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Oct. 18 and Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Oct. 26.
The President has 90 days to choose from the shortlist. The 90 day period shall commence from the time the position became vacant. /je