Defensor-Santiago nominated for top SC post

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. FILE PHOTO/SENATE POOL

MANILA, Philippines—Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Franklin Drilon and former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo have been nominated for the Chief Justice post.

This is not the first time that Santiago’s name has been included in the list of candidates for the top judicial post. In 2006, a group of young lawyers nominated her for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to replace Artemio Panganiban. But she was not included in the short list of bets.

Santiago was nominated by a certain Victor Del Rosario from Biliran.

Likewise Marcelo was nominated in 2010 after the retirement of Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

On the other hand, this is the first time that Drilon, a known staunch ally of President Benigno Aquino III,  has been nominated for a post in the Judiciary.

Currently, there are over 60 nominees and aspirants for the Chief Justice post with only 13 accepting the nomination.

Deadline for submission of nomination is on July 2.