JBC to vote on de Lima’s disqualification for Chief Justice post

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima is still in the running for the top judicial post, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said on Monday.

Senator Francis Escudero said the JBC has yet to vote on whether or not de Lima should be disqualified after the  Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) denied her appeal to dismiss the disbarment case against her.

The JBC will deliberate again on Wednesday.

The IBP Board of Governors stood pat on its July30 ruling to push through with the investigation on DeLima’s case.

In a resolution, the IBP Board of Governors denied de Lima’s motion and ordered the IBP Investigating Commissioner to conduct a formal investigation on the disbarment complaints against the DoJ chief.

The complaints against de Lima was filed separately by Ricardo Rivera and Fernando Perito, Nephtali Aliposa, both about the DOJ chief’s alleged defiance in following a Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order issued November 2011 when she stopped former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

IBP Spokesperson Trixie Angeles said it was up to the JBC to disqualify de Lima or not.

Under the rules of the Judicial and Bar Council particularly Rule 4 Section 5, those disqualified from being nominated or appointed to any judicial, Ombudsman or deputy ombudsman position include: 1. those with pending criminal or regular administrative cases; 2. those with pending criminal cases in foreign courts or tribunals; 3, those who have been convicted in any criminal case or in an administrative case where the penalty imposed is at least a fine of more than P10,000 unless he has been granted judicial clemency.