Six legal luminaries jockey for Palace nod on Sandigan post

The flag at the Sandiganbayan flies at half-last as it mourns the death of Associate Justice Maria Cristina Cornejo. Inquirer file photo / Vince F. Nonato.

Four judges and two private practitioners have made it to the shortlist of candidates to replace Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Cristina Cornejo, who passed away last Sept. 3.

Included in the shortlist of candidates are Makati City RTC Judge Maryann Corpus-Mañalac, Judge Raymond Lauigan of Tuguegarao City RTC, Baguio RTC Judge Mia Joy Oallares-Cawed and lawyers Dennis Patrick Perez, Perpetuo Lucero Jr. and Walter S. Ong.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) already submitted the names to President Rodrigo Duterte who has 90 days upon submission of shortlist to choose the replacement.

Cornejo, who has been on sick leave since June 13, 2016, availed disability retirement that became effective March 1 when she turned 66.

READ: SC allows early retirement for Sandiganbayan Justice Cornejo

Medical records showed that Justice Cornejo had been diagnosed with “acute cerebrovascular disease in bilateral cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres, controlled hypertension, systemic lupus erythematous, pancytopenia, colon cancer stage III s/p left hemicolectomy, and acute kidney injury secondary to poor oral intake.”

Cornejo died early this month at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center. /jpv

READ: Sandiganbayan mourns passing of Justice Cornejo