THE Judicial and Bar Council will start on Tuesday to interview nine of 17 nominees for the vacancies in the Supreme Court after the looming retirement of Associate Justices Jose Perez on Dec. 14 and Arturo Brion on Dec. 29.
Vying for Perez’ post are Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, lawyer Rita Linda Ventura Jimeno, Pasig Regional Trial Court Judge Rowena Apao-Adlawan, Court of Appeals Justices Japar Dimaampao and Noel Tijam, Sandiganbayan Justice Samuel Martires and Department of Justice chief state counsel Ricardo Paras III and they will be grilled by the JBC today.
On the other hand, three nominees for Brion’s post—CA Mindanao Executive Justice Romulo Borja, CA Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier and lawyer Joseph San Pedro—will face the council tomorrow, Nov. 17. There are 17 nominees for Brion’s post.
Seven other candidates for both vacancies will no longer be interviewed because of their previous interviews over the past year.
They are CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr. and CA Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Rosmari Carandang, Stephen Cruz and Jose Reyes Jr., Quezon City Judge Reynaldo Daway and Sandiganbayan Justice Alex Quiroz.
The Constitution requires a candidate for the position of associate justice of the SC to be a natural born citizen, at least 40 years of age, and with 15 years or more of experience as a judge of a lower court or engaged in the practice of law in the country.
The magistrate must also be “a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.”
President Duterte is expected to appoint at least 10 justices in SC during his six-year term. There will be two more vacancies during the election period after his term.