8 SC justices, 4 Cabinet execs among 27 nominees for chief justice

The Supreme Court building in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Eight Supreme Court justices and four Cabinet members were among the 27 nominees for the vacant chief justice post, a document from the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) showed.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Perez was nominated by the Asia Pacific Bar Association Incorporated, saying his experience qualifies him to replace Renato Corona as the chief magistrate.

Perez rose from the ranks working as high court legal assistant in 1971 until he became assistant court administrator in 1996. In 2000, he became deputy court administrator, court administrator in 2008, and finally associate justice a year after.

The association urged the JBC, which screens candidates and provides the Palace with a shortlist of at least three nominees, to automatically include on the list  not only the five most senior members of the Supreme Court but all members of the high court. Perez is the third most junior member of the high tribunal.

Abad is the eight most senior member of the high court while Sereno ranks 12^th. Sereno is the first Supreme Court justice appointed by President Benigno Aquino.

The other nominated junior justices are Roberto Abad, Maria Lourdes Sereno and Jose Perez. Automatically nominated are the five most senior Supreme Court justices: Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Arturo Brion and Diosdado Peralta.

The nominated Cabinet officials are Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, and Government Chief Peace Negotiator Marvic Leonen.

Also nominated are Elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, University of the East College of Law Dean Amado Valdez, Integrated Bar of the Philippines President Roan Libarios, Atty. Rodolfo Robles, Atty. Pedro Aquino and former energy secretary Raphael Lotilla.

Other nominees are Atty. Katrina Legarda, former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar Villanueva, former UP Law Dean Raul Pangalangan, Managing partner of Sycip Salazar, Hernandez and Gatmaitan law firm Rafael Morales and Vice Mayor Nepomuceno Aparis, former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez and veteran journalist Teodoro Locsin Jr.

The nominees must submit a letter to the JBC accepting the nomination. Nomination ends on June 18.

The JBC is constitutionally tasked to screen applicants to the Judicial and Ombudsman posts. It will submit a shortlist of at least three nominees to the President, who has 90 days to choose the chief magistrate.