8 applicants for SC post to be interviewed by JBC next month

The JBC has received 12 nominations and applications for the upcoming vacancy in the SC that would enable President Rodrigo Duterte to name his third appointee to the high court. Justice Reyes is retiring in July. (Photo: Philippine News Agency)

MANILA– Eight of 12 applicants vying for the position to be vacated by retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes would be interviewed by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) next month.

The JBC has received 12 nominations and applications for the upcoming vacancy in the SC that would enable President Rodrigo Duterte to name his third appointee to the high court. Justice Reyes is retiring in July.

The JBC has set the public interviews on June 19 where eight of the 12 candidates will face the council.

The eight applicants to undergo interview by the JBC are Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez; Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr; and Associate Justices Ramon Bato, Apolinario Bruselas, Rosmari Carandang, Stephen Cruz, Ramon Paul Hernando and Jose Reyes.

The four other nominees — CA Associate Justices Japar Dimaampao and Amy Lazaro Javier; Centro Escolar University law school vice dean Rita Linda Ventura-Jimeno; and Pasig RTC Judge Rowena Apao-Adlawan — will no longer face the JBC as they were already interviewed for the two previous vacancies from the retirement of Associate Justices Jose Perez and Arturo Brion in December last year.

All the applicants will be screened by the JBC and the shortlist would be submitted to President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Last March, President Duterte named his first two appointees to the high court — Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Noel Tijam. Both were schoolmates of the President in the San Beda College law school.

The JBC is chaired by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal-Sereno, with two ex-officio members — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and legislative representatives Senator Richard Gordon and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who shall have a term sharing seat in the JBC.