Nominations open for new SC justice

THE JUDICIAL and Bar Council (JBC) has opened nominations for the Supreme Court seat of Justice Martin Villarama Jr. who has opted to retire on Jan. 16, or three months ahead of his scheduled retirement, due to his “deteriorating health.”

In a press briefing, the court’s spokesperson, lawyer Theodore Te, said the deadline for submission to the JBC secretariat of applications or recommendations is Nov. 23.

Applicants and recommendees must submit their notarized personal data sheets by that date. They would be given until Dec. 8 to submit other supporting documents.

Villarama will turn 70—the mandatory retirement age for members of the judiciary—on April 14, 2016.

In his letter to Sereno, Villarama asked to avail of optional retirement due to his “deteriorating health condition.” This, he added, was brought about by a double-knee metal implantation in 2013 and a cataract operation in 2014. Jerome Aning