THE Judicial and Bar Council has submitted to Malacañang a shortlist of the nominees for the seat in the Court of Appeals vacated by Associate Justice Agnes Reyes-Carpio, who reached her mandatory retirement age of 70 on Dec. 1.
In a Dec. 2 transmittal letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, the seven-member council endorsed the nomination of Iligan Regional Trial Court Judge Anisah Amanodin-Umpa, the lone Muslim applicant to the post vacated by Carpio. She is the mother-in-law of Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte, wife of Carpio’s son Manases.
Umpa aside, the others in the shortlist are Taguig City RTC Judge Louis Acosta, who is the brother of CA Justice Francisco Acosta; Las Piñas RTC Judge Joselito Vibandor, Quezon City RTC Judge Mary Angelene Quimpo Sale, Cagayan De Oro RTC Judge Jeoffre Acebido, and Pasig RTC Judge Danilo Cruz.
The JBC, the body mandated to screen and vet the nominees to the President for the vacant posts in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman, is led by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and composed of ex-officio members Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Senator Richard Gordon and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali.
The other regular members of the JBC are retired high court Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, lawyer Jose Mejia representing the academe, Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and newest member Retired Judge Toribio Ilao, who is representing the private sector.