Tupas wants JBC rules to be ‘fair and equitable’

Representative Niel Tupas Jr. PHOTO BY INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. said he made a proposal to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to amend the rules of the JBC to make it “fair and equitable” for those aspiring positions in the Judiciary.

“I have a pending proposal to amend the [JBC] rules to make it equitable and fair for the applicants,” Tupas told reporters after the JBC deliberation Monday.

“But it would still depend on the decision of the members of the council on what will happen on Wednesday,” he added.

Tupas was referring to Rule 4 Section 5 of the JBC rules which provides that 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.

Tupas said aside from De Lima who is facing two disbarment complaints, there are other candidates who also have pending cases.