JBC lists 6 for P-Noy's first Supreme Court appointee

MANILA, Philippines – The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) came up yesterday with six candidates, including elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, from which President Aquino would pick his first appointee to the Supreme Court.

Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao topped the list, garnering the votes of six out of the seven members of the JBC.

Tied at second place were CA Justice Noel Tijam and former University of the Philippines College of Law dean Raul Pangalangan, who got five votes each.

Sarmiento placed fourth with four votes, along with CA Justice Hakim Abdulwahid and Asian Institute of Management executive director Ma. Lourdes Sereno.

The six were chosen by the JBC from 28 aspirants for the vacant post, according to SC spokesman Midas Marquez.

Chief Justice Renato Corona sits as ex-officio JBC chairman during voting.

The ex-officio JBC members are Sen. Francis Joseph Escudero and Iloilo Rep. Neil Tupas Jr., who voted for the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.

The regular JBC members are retired SC justice Regino Hermosisima for retired justices; lawyer J. Conrado Castro for the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and retired CA justice Aurora Lagman for the private sector. Academe representative Dean Amado Dimayuga retired early this month and a replacement has yet to be named.

Mr. Aquino has until Aug. 17 to make the appointment under the 90-day rule in the Constitution.

In his public interview last July 22, Sarmiento told the JBC that he supports efforts to amend the Constitution.

A member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, Sarmiento said the administrative and judicial functions of the Commission on Elections should be separated, and that the Commission on Human Rights should be empowered to investigate and prosecute cases.

Changes should be made through a constitutional convention, he added.