Philippine Judicial and Bar Council Submits Five Chief Justice Nominees to President Marcos
Key Takeaways
- •The Judicial and Bar Council transmitted to President Marcos a five-name chief justice shortlist consisting of Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez and Rodil V. Zalameda.
- •Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, who signed the shortlist letter as the council's ex officio chairperson, will step down on Nov. 6 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.
- •Associate Justices Ramon Paul L. Hernando and Henri Jean Paul B. Inting withdrew their acceptance of the nominations before the list was sent to the President.
- •Under the Constitution, the Supreme Court vacancy must be filled within 90 days, giving Mr. Marcos a fixed deadline to appoint Gesmundo's successor from the shortlist.
- •The President also received a separate 12-candidate shortlist for the associate justice post that will open when Amy C. Lazaro-Javier retires on Nov. 16.
The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Thursday submitted to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. a shortlist of five nominees for chief justice of the Supreme Court, succeeding retiring Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, who is set to step down on Nov. 6 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. Under the Constitution, the choice now rests with Mr. Marcos, who appoints the chief justice from the council's shortlist.
In a letter dated Oct. 29 and stamped as received by the Office of the Executive Secretary the same day, the council named Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez and Rodil V. Zalameda. Their personal data sheets were attached to the letter, which was signed by Mr. Gesmundo in his capacity as the council's ex officio chairperson.
"Two of the five Senior Supreme Court Justices, Associate Justices Ramon Paul L. Hernando and Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, withdrew the acceptance of their respective nominations," the Supreme Court Office of the Spokesperson said in a statement.
Under the Constitution, vacancies in the Supreme Court must be filled within 90 days of the vacancy. The JBC announced the list of applicants for the post on Oct. 17 and conducted public interviews with the candidates on Oct. 22 and 26. That rule sets a fixed window for Mr. Marcos to name Gesmundo's successor after the Nov. 6 retirement, with the next chief justice set to preside over the country's highest court.
The council also submitted to the President its shortlist for the associate justice post that will be vacated by Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, who retires on Nov. 16. The nominees are Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon M. Bato, Jr.; Solicitor General Darlene Marie B. Berberabe; Commission on Audit Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba; Court of Appeals Associate Justices Ramon A. Cruz, Maria Elisa Sempio Diy and Myra V. Garcia-Fernandez; Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta; Commission on Elections Commissioner Ernesto P. Maceda, Jr.; Court of Appeals Justices Ronaldo Roberto B. Martin and Walter S. Ong; and Court of Tax Appeals Associate Justice Maria Rowena M. San Pedro. Mr. Marcos is likewise tasked with selecting from this list to fill the seat once it falls vacant.
— Erika Mae P. Sinaking, BusinessWorld
Source: BusinessWorld
