Supreme Court holds oral arguments Thursday on Congress representation issue

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court will hold Thursday the oral arguments on whether Congress has two representatives at the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) or just one.

JBC is the body constitutionally mandated to screen applicants for the Judiciary and the Ombudsman.

The high court ordered an oral argument following an appeal filed by Congress on its decision that there should only be one representative from Congress.

Congress, through the Office of the Solicitor General cannot be considered the “Legislative Branch” without the House of Representative or without the Senate.

Thus, it said that the phrase “a representative of Congress” under the law means a member of the House of Representative and a member of the Senate.

The JBC has deferred its deliberation and voting Thursday to give way for the oral argument.

The case stemmed after former Solicitor-General Francisco Chavez questioned the current JBC composition with Senator Francis Escudero and Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas Jr. sitting both as ex officio representatives of Congress.