4 interviewed for CJ post to be vacated Oct. 18

MANILA, Philippines — The third most senior member of the Supreme Court, Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta Jr., said his vast court experience was more than enough to qualify him for the post soon to be vacated by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

“I’m not a topnotcher, I’m not an honor student … but I think I was able to compensate [for that] with the work that I have done as a public prosecutor, a judge, an associate justice of the Sandiganbayan, a presiding justice and an associate justice of the Supreme Court,” Peralta said during the interview conducted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Wednesday with four aspirants for the chief justice post that will be vacant when Bersamin retires on Oct. 18.

The other candidates interviewed were Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Andres Reyes Jr. and Jose Reyes Jr.

All four aspirants will reach the compulsory retirement age of 70 during President Rodrigo Duterte’s term — the Reyeses in May and September 2020, and Peralta and Bernabe in March and May 2022.  This would give the President another opportunity to appoint a new chief justice.

In citing his long experience in court, an emotional Peralta urged JBC members Jose Mendoza, Noel Tijam, Franklin Demonteverde Sr. and Torribio Ilao to take into consideration “that there is hope for an individual like me.”

Peralta was appointed to the high court by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Bernabe, an  appointee of former President Benigno Aquino III, underscored the importance of collegiality in the court and the role of the chief Justice in finding solutions to problems affecting the judiciary.

Opportunity to lead

“The chief justice is not a position of superiority, but an opportunity to lead the judiciary. Whoever is appointed, I would like to request [that] he hears his constituents [about] the problems that they have, and remember that collective effort is a key to success.  [A]bove all I think he should always remember that he owes loyalty to the Constitution and the people,” Bernabe said.

For his part, Jose Reyes, who was appointed by Mr. Duterte,  said he preferred to be known as an “academic justice” as he could use his knowledge and experience in the reforms he planned for the judiciary should he become chief justice.

Reyes said he would be a “compassionate” and “motivational” chief justice.

Andres Reyes, a former presiding justice of the Court of Appeals like his late father and namesake, is also a Duterte appointee.  As a career judicial officer, Reyes said, one has to be honest, sincere, have a good heart and be a hard worker to deserve the CJ post.

The JBC also nominated 13 justices, most of them from the Court of Appeals, for the seat left by Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, who retired on Sept.26.

The nominees are Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, and Court of Appeals justices Japar Dimaampao, Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Garcia, Ramon Cruz, Edgardo delos Santos, Samuel Gaerlan, Jhosep Lopez, Mario Lopez, Ma. Filomena Singh, Edwin Sorongon and Elihu Ybañez.