JBC starts selection process for new Supreme Court chief

MANILA, Philippines - The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) officially started yesterday the process for the selection of the successor of Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno who will retire on May 17.

In an advertisement in The STAR, the JBC announced that the council is now accepting applications or nominations for the next head of the SC.

Nominations should be sent to the JBC secretariat at the second floor of the Centennial building of the SC in Padre Faura St., Manila, with telephone no. 552-9512, fax no. 552-9607, or e-mail addresses [email protected] or [email protected].

Aside from the letter of application or nomination, the nominees are required to submit six copies each of the following: personal data sheet (JBC Form 1 downloadable from http://jbc.judiciary.gov.ph), proof of Filipino citizenship, 2 X 2 picture, income tax return for the past two years, 2010 clearances from the police at the place of residence, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Ombudsman, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Office of the Bar Confidant, employer, transcript of school records, certificate of Admission to Bar including the rating, and certificate of good standing or latest official receipt from the national treasury of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

The collegial body, which screens nominees to positions in the judiciary and submits shortlists to the President, has set the deadline for nomination and application to the imminent vacant post on Feb. 4, according to the announcement signed by lawyer Ma. Luisa Villarama, clerk of court of the SC and ex-officio secretary of JBC.

Lawyer Midas Marquez, SC spokesman and deputy court administrator, said that in the past selections for the chief justice under the 1987 Constitution, candidates from the SC were no longer subjected to public interviews by JBC.

He said the chief justice is usually chosen “among the insiders” or sitting senior justices of the Court.

In the current composition of the SC, the five most senior justices are Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Renato Corona, Conchita Carpio-Morales, Presbitero Velasco Jr. and Antonio Eduardo Nachura.

The JBC on Monday moved to start the nomination process for the imminent vacancy of the post of chief justice, pending resolution of the issues on when the council could submit the shortlist of nominees to the Palace and whether or not President Arroyo can appoint the replacement of Puno under the current rules. – With Jose Rodel Clapano