JBC still polishing media guidelines

Sen. Francis Escudero

MANILA, Philippines—The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will start the public interviews of aspirants for the Chief Justice post by the third week of July, ex-officio JBC member Senator Francis Escudero said Monday.

Escudero told reporters that there are already 65 nominees for the top judicial post and their target is to interview 4 to 5 nominees per day.

Currently, Escudero said the JBC is still polishing the proposed guidelines for public interview.

The proposed guidelines on the live media coverage of interviews of candidates not only for the Chief Justice position but for all candidates for judicial positions shall be patterned after the guidelines during the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Based on the proposed media guidelines, only media members accredited by the Supreme Court shall be allowed by the Supreme Court to cover the public interview.

Interviews in the hallways and the division hearing room will not be allowed. Violators will face immediate cancellation of accreditation.

Press photographers on the other hand shall be given three minute photo opportunity before the start of each interview. After that, only the high court’s in-house photographer shall be allowed to cover the proceedings and media outfits can request photos from the high court’s information office.

Only five networks have been allowed during the interview—ABSCBN, GMA7, TV5, Solar TV and NBN4 and they will provide the live feed to all other networks.