Live coverage of interviews of Associate Justice bets a go
MANILA, Philippines—The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Monday backtracked from its earlier pronouncement banning live coverage of interviews of candidates for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
Last week, the JBC announced that it will no longer allow live coverage of the interview unlike during the interview of candidates for the Chief Justice post in which it was aired live on various television and radio stations.
“In the interest of transparency and openness, we will allow live media coverage subject to the same rules or set up during the public interviews of Chief Justice candidates,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima told reporters Monday. De Lima is an ex-officio member of the JBC.
De Lima denied reports that the JBC has banned live media coverage of interviews in the Judiciary post.
She said no one has signified interest to cover the interview for high court Associate Justice.
“No wonder why they arrived at such decision…no media network is interested for the coverage. If the major network would express interest in having it covered live, then we will not deny that for as long as there is only one camera inside,” De Lima said.
Following the same guidelines as the candidates for Chief Justice post, only a government station will be allowed to bring in cameras inside the venue, the rest will be asked to hook up.
A new Associate Justice needs to be appointed to the high court following the assumption of Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to the top judicial post.
Scheduled for interview on October 23 are Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon M. Bato, Jr., former University of Perpetual Help System Law Dean Jose-Santos B. Bisquera, CA Associate Justice Rosemarie D. Carandang, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Cristina J. Cornejo.
On October 25, the JBC will interview former Regional Trial Court Judge Adoracion P. Cruz-Avisado, Court of Appeals Associate Justices Magdangal M. De Leon, Isaias P. Dicdican, Jose C. Reyes, Jr., Noel G. Tijam, former University of the Philippines Law Dean Marvic M. Leonen, former Department of Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla and Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr.,
The other three candidates, De La Salle University Law Dean Jose Manuel I. Diokno, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Teresita J. Herbosa, and former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar L. Villanueva, had already been interviewed in July 2012 when they were vying for the position of Chief Justice.
