The Supreme Court’s justices on Tuesday endorsed the nomination of four of their colleagues to the most coveted post in the judiciary, which was left vacant following the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through quo warranto proceedings.
They approved the nomination of Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin and Andres Reyes Jr. as the next chief justice.
Bersamin received the most number of votes from his peers with 10, De Castro and Peralta received nine and Reyes two.
The high court did not recommend the nomination of the fifth aspirant to the post, Tagum City, Davao del Norte Regional Trial Court Judge Virginia Tejano-Ang.
The votes of the magistrates indicated they preferred an “insider” to be the next chief justice to replace Sereno.
The high court traditionally submits to the Judicial and Bar Council its recommendations for the vacancies within. This practice, however, was halted during the term of Sereno.
The seven-member council tasked to vet the nominees for judicial posts is set to start the deliberations on the post of chief justice in their meeting this Friday, Aug. 3.
JBC ex-officio vice chairman and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said any one of the four magistrates vying for the post of chief justice was qualified for it.
“Any one of the four SC associate justice nominees is capable of filling the position of CJ,” Guevarra said.
The JBC started on June 25 the search for Sereno’s replacement after the high court made final its decision ousting her from her post on June 19.
The 1987 Constitution requires the position of chief justice be filled within 90 days from its vacancy. This means President Rodrigo Duterte needs to appoint Sereno’s replacement by Sept. 16.
The Constitution also requires that the chief justice should be a natural-born citizen, at least 40 years old, to have had experience as a judge or in private law practice for at least 15 years, and to be a person with proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.