Shortlist to fill 6 new Sandiganbayan posts down to 37

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has narrowed down from 90 to 37 the nominees for the six new posts in the Sandiganbayan created by the law signed by President Aquino last April expanding the powers of the anti-graft court.

JBC, which is chaired by Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, will submit to Malacañang the shortlisted candidates.

Aquino has 90 days to choose who will join the 15 current magistrates of the Sandiganbayan.

In the first shortlist for the 16th associate justice of the anti-graft court are regional trial court Judges Philip Aguinaldo, Reynaldo Alhambra, Danilo Cruz, Benjamin Pozon, Danilo Sandoval and Salvador Timbang Jr.

Nominees for the 17th associate justice are Judges Maryann Corpuz-Mañalac, Ma. Theresa Mendoza–Arcega and Andres Soriano, assistant solicitor general Ma. Antonia Edita Dizon and Senate Blue Ribbon committee secretary Rodolfo Noel Quimbo.

The third shortlist for the 18th post includes Judges Celso Baguio, Ma. Teresa De Guzman–Alvarez, Bernelito Fernandez, Elvira Panganiban and Fernando Sagun Jr. and Sereno’s staff Zaldy Trespeses.

For the 19th post, the nominees are Judges Frances Guanzon, Marissa Macaraig–Guillen, Vilma Pauig and Ruben Reynaldo Roxas, assistant solicitor general Renan Ramos and Palace undersecretary Reynaldo Cruz.

In the fifth shortlist for the 20th post are Judges Perpetua Atal–Paño, Thelma Bunyi–Medina, Luisito Cortez, Geraldine Fiel–Macaraig and Angeline Mary Quimpo-Sale and Ombudsman director Bayani Jacinto and assistant solicitor general Karl Miranda.

The final shortlist for the 21st post includes Judges Wilhelmina Jorge–Wagan, Geraldine Faith Econg, Rosanna Fe Romero-Maglaya, Merianthe Pacita Zuraek and Victoria Fernandez–Bernardo, and Palace undersecretary for special concerns Michael Frederick Musngi.

Additional justices will be designated to the Sandiganbayan following President Aquino’s signing of Republic Act 10660, or An Act Strengthening the Functional and Structural Organization of the Sandiganbayan.

Originally, the Sandiganbayan, which is tasked with handling cases filed against government officials have three divisions until it expanded to five divisions of three members each in March 1995.

Under the new law, the anti-graft court will now be a total of seven divisions with three members each or a total of 21 justices.

Currently, all 15 posts are filled. The most junior member is Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, who was appointed last May to replace dismissed Senior Justice Gregory Ong.

Apart from expanding the composition of the anti-graft court, R.A. 10660 also amended the decades-old three-vote rule among justices in a division, where rulings will only be considered valid if there is unanimity among the magistrates.

In cases of even a single dissent, a special division of five justices is automatically created under the previous rule. Under the new law, however, all it takes is for two jurists to agree on a case.

“The concurrence of a majority of the members of a division shall be necessary to render a judgment, decision or final order, or to resolve interlocutory or incidental motions,” read Section 5 of the new Sandiganbayan law.

The JBC is constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees to the President for vacant posts in the judiciary and the Ombudsman office.

Aside from Sereno, other ex-officio members of the JBC are Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and Justice Secretary Benjamin Caguioa.

The regular members apart from Atty. Mejia are retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, of the retired SC justices sector; retired Court of Appeals Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman, representing the private sector, and lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.