JBC opens application for SC justice post

FILE: Judicial and Bar Council (Philippines), 2nd Floor, Centennial Bldg., Supreme Court, Padre Faura St., Manila (Photo By Ramon FVelasquez – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA — The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has opened the application for Associate Justice post in the Supreme Court, for the replacement of Associate Justice Noel Tijam who will retire on Jan. 5, 2019.

In an announcement posted on the JBC website,, SC Clerk of Court and JBC Ex Officio Secretary Edgar Aricheta said, “Interested applicants shall submit two complete sets of application or recommendation with conforme, together with all the documentary requirements to the JBC Office, 2nd Floor, Centennial building, Supreme Court, Padre Faura, Manila, not later than 4:30 p.m. of 5 November 2018.”

Aricheta reminded the applicants that, “the date of actual receipt by the JBC of the complete documentary requirements shall be deemed as the date of filing.

The qualifications of applicants shall be reckoned from the said deadline.”

Among the documentary requirements that have to be submitted are the sworn statement of assets, liabilities and networth (SALNs) for the last 10 years.

For those who are currently in government service, all SALNs for the past 10 years must be submitted. If the government service is less than 10 years, only SALNs for the years while in government service need to be submitted.

While for those who are currently employed in the private sector but were in government service within the past 10 years, all SALNs for those years in government service must be submitted. As for those applicants from the private sector, who have never served in government, only SALN as of Dec. 31, 2017 must be submitted.

He added that if the applications are incomplete and/or have out-of-date documentary requirements, or those submitted beyond the deadline would not be given due course.

Tijam was the second justice to be appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to the High Court last March 8, 2017 as the 176th SC magistrate, replacing Associate Justice Arturo Brion.

In 1994, he was appointed as judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221.

In 2003, he was promoted to the Court of Appeals.

Tijam, a classmate of President Duterte at San Beda College of Law, is a native of Manila City and was born on Jan. 5, 1949. He graduated magna cum laude from San Beda College in 1967 with a degree of Bachelor of Arts, Major in Philosophy and Political Science.

At the age of 20, while earning his Bachelor of Laws degree on full scholarship, he was already a lecturer at the Philippine School of Business Administration.

In 1971, he graduated cum laude and class salutatorian from the San Beda College of Law. He passed the 1971 Bar Examinations at the age of 22.

He worked at the Senate and the General Service Insurance System (GSIS) before becoming the corporate secretary of the Manila Hotel Corporation and the Westin Philippine Plaza, and director of the Comsavings Bank.