3 more nominated to SC post

MANILA, Philippines – Three more names have been nominated to replace former Chief Justice Renato Corona, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said on Thursday.

JBC member Jose Mejia said the nominees were Atty. Katrina Legarda, Solicitor-General Francis Jardeleza and Cesar Villanueva, former dean of Ateneo De Manila College of Law.

Aside from the three, the five most senior associate justices of the Supreme Court were automatically nominated for the top judicial post. They are Senior Associate Justice, now acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta.

Nominations for the next Chief Justice formally opened on June 6 and will end on June 18.

The JBC is a constitutional body tasked to screen nominees and submit a shortlist to the President from which he will pick appointees to vacant posts in the judiciary and Office of the Ombudsman.

Aside from Mejia, other members of the JBC are Carpio as acting chair ex-officio; Senator Francis Escudero and Representative Niel Tupas Jr., representing the legislative branches; Justice Secretary Leila De Lima as an ex-officio member; lawyer Ma. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Regino Hermosisima Jr., representing retired justices; and Aurora Santiago-Lagman representing the private sector.

Carpio and De Lima had inhibited from the JBC deliberation.