JBC disqualifies 2 candidates

The members of the Judicial and Bar Council.

MANILA, Philippines—The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Wednesday announced that it has disqualified two candidates for the Chief Justice post for failure to comply with documentary requirements.

Disqualified were private lawyer Vicente R. Velasquez and former Immigration Commissioner, now Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez.

They were supposed to be interviewed by the JBC on July 26 and 27, respectively.

The disqualification reduced the number of aspirants from 22 to 20.

Of the 20 candidates, the JBC has already interviewed nine aspirants, they are Presidential Commission on Good Government Chair Andres B. Bautista, lawyer Soledad M. Cagampang-De Castro, Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima, De La Salle University Law Dean Jose Manuel I. Diokno, Solicitor General Francis H. Jardeleza, and lawyer Maria Carolina T. Legarda, Supreme Court Justice Roberto A. Abad, lawyer Rafael A. Morales and former University of the Philippines law dean Raul C. Pangalangan.

Still to be interviewed Wednesday afternoon are high court Justice Arturo D. Brion, Commission on Elections Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento, and retired Judge Manuel DJ. Siayngco, Jr.

On Thursday, the JBC will interview University of the East law dean Amado D. Valdez, Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio, SC Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro, and former Ateneo law dean Cesar L. Villanueva.

On Friday it will be the turn of Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Teresita J. Herbosa, former Executive Secretary Ronaldo B. Zamora, SC Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno, and SC Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr.