SC Watch names 17 possible replacements for retiring justice

The Bantay Korte Suprema or the Supreme Court Watch yesterday released the names of 17 possible replacements for SC Justice Adolf Azcuna who will retire on Feb. 16.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, one of the convenors of the group, called on the public to send in any relevant information about the candidates to Bantay Korte Suprema (BKS).

The group is closely monitoring the nominees and appointments to the SC to guard the Supreme Court’s independence from Malacañang since President Arroyo will choose all the seats in the SC that will be vacated this year.

Senators and various civil society groups said it was important for the SC to be free from the influence of Malacañang because the issue on Charter change, which could lead to the lifting of term limits of Mrs. Arroyo and elective officials, might be brought before the Supreme Court.

Included in the list released by the BKS are Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera and Sandiganbayan anti-graft court Justices Francisco Villacruz and Edilberto Sandoval.

Devanadera was earlier excluded from the list of nominees for replacement of Justice Ruben Reyes due to pending complaint against her before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Devanadera was excluded from the list and not necessarily disqualified. So this new recommendation will be submitted for deliberations of JBC,” spokesman for the High Tribunal Jose Midas Marquez explained.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), for its part, announced it would consider the names recommended by BKS for the possible replacement of Azcuna.

“The JBC will see if those in the list are qualified. It will set the public interview for qualified nominees, except those who were already interviewed earlier,” Midas said in a phone interview, referring to the 14 nominees in the selection for replacement of SC associate justice Reyes who retired earlier this month.

The others recommended by BKS as next justice are Roberto Abad, dean of the University of Sto. Tomas Faculty of Civil Law; Court of Tax Appeals Presiding Justice Ernesto Acosta; Court of Appeals Justices Hakim Abdulwahid, Lucas Bersamin, Amelita de Guzman Tolentino, Japar Dimaampao, Juan Enriquez, Remedios Fernando, Portia Alino Hormachuelos and Andres Reyes; Cesar Villanueva, dean of the Ateneo law school; lawyers Pablito Sanidad Sr. and Jose Mario Buñag; and Rodolfo Robles, chairman of the board and president of Landphil Management Development Corp. – Aurea Calica, Edu Punay