Carpio heads list of nominees for Chief Justice

Justice Antonio Carpio Photo by Lyn Rillon

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and five other justices of the Supreme Court on Monday joined 19 others who had agreed to undergo screening for the post of the next Chief Justice.

In a letter to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), Carpio thanked the body for including him as possible replacement of ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Unlike other contenders, Carpio was automatically recommended by the JBC, being one of the five most senior magistrates.

Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion, Roberto Abad and Ma. Lourdes Sereno have also accepted their nominations to the JBC, which will conduct the screening.

As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, the JBC had received 70 nominations and two applications for the highest judicial office.

Lawyer Jose Mejia, the representative of the academe to the JBC, said the body would receive nominations and applications until midnight Monday.

Also agreeing to the vetting were Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, Presidential Commission on Good Government Chair Andres Bautista, Election Commissioner Rene Sarmiento and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson Teresita Herbosa.

Joining them from the academe were former University of the Philippines’ College of Law dean Raul Pangalangan, De La Salle University law dean Jose Manuel Diokno, former University of the East law dean Amado Valdez and former Ateneo de Manila University law dean Cesar Villanueva.

Women’s rights lawyer Katrina Legarda, Soledad Cagampang-de Castro, Rafael Morales, Vicente Velasquez, Ferdinand Jose Pijao, Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Ma. Amelia Tria-Infante, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Vicente Veloso, retired Judge Manuel Siayngco Jr. and former San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora also confirmed their recommendations.

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez was the lone lawmaker who asked the JBC to consider his nomination.

Dismissed Malabon Regional Trial Court Judge Florentino Floro, who described himself as “Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Universe,” and nurse Jocelyn Esquivel had sent their applications for the position.

On the other hand, Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Mendoza, Jose Perez, Bienvenido Reyes and Estela Perlas-Bernabe declined their nominations.

Also declining were Court of Appeals Justices Magdangal de Leon, Noel Tijam and Gabriel Ingles, retired Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Roan Libarios, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr. and former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr.