JBC begins deliberations on Panganiban replacement

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) begins discussing today the possible replacement for retiring Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, with the five incumbent associate justices and one senator on the shortlist of candidates. Panganiban retires on his 70th birthday on Dec. 7.

The candidates for the top SC post are senior associate justices Reynato Puno, Leonardo Quisumbing, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez and Antonio Carpio. Also being considered is Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

But only Santiago will be subject to public interview because she is an outsider. It was the Young Lawyers Association of the Philippines which nominated Santiago, 61. Santiago’s nomination last year was disregarded because it was filed way past the deadline. The post eventually went to Panganiban.

JBC will submit its final list of nominees to President Arroyo who will then name her choice. The next chief justice will be the country’s 22nd.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez earlier said it was the first time for JBC to submit its nominees to the post of chief magistrate. Gonzalez is a member of JBC.

JBC opened the judiciary’s top post for nomination from Oct. 10 to Oct. 30.

A nominee should be at least 40 years old and must have served as a judge of a lower court or have engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for 15 years.

"The Constitution also mandates that a member of the judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence," JBC said. — Mike Frialde