DOJ chief Guevarra nominated for SC post

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has been nominated to a Supreme Court Associate Justice post to be vacated by Associate Justice Jose Reyes who is about to retire on Sept. 18.

Guevarra was nominated by retired Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Raoul Victorino, calling him “a man of justice.”

“A true embodiment and advocate of justice in our Republic. In a literal sense, too, he being the chief of the Department of Justice,” Victorino said.

This is the second time Victorino nominated Guevarra. The first nomination was November last. Guevarra, however, turned down the nomination saying he is “still in love with DOJ.”

Not giving up, Victorino, on his second attempt at nominating Guevarra said the Justice Chief’s reply to his previous nomination “merely exemplifies the loyalty and dedication of the man, to public service and the pursuit of justice, in our republic,” he said.

“This time, I believe, is that he will meet his true love to the other side part of Padre Faura, Manila.  May his love for justice move the Secretary of Justice to the glorious and historic halls of the Supreme Court, he said.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) last May 23 started accepting applications of candidates for the post to be vacated Reyes.

As Secretary of Justice, Guevarra is also an ex-officio member of the JBC.

Before joining the DOJ, Guevarra was an Office of the President (OP) Oversight Representative of Executive Secretary in several National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Cabinet-level committee.

He was also an accredited arbitrator of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and a member of the Philippine legal team in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) arbitration case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.

Guevarra graduated second honor from the Ateneo School of Law and placed second in the 1985 Bar examination.