No CJ yet on SONA - JBC member

MANILA, Philippines - A member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Monday said President Benigno Simeon Aquino III will not be able to announce a new Chief Justice during his Statement of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23.

Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said in a television interview that the JBC has decided to be thorough in its selection process and would only be able to submit a shortlist of nominees by the end of the month.

"By July 30, mai-susubmit na namin ang listahan so may isang buwan ang Pangulo para makapamili, ayon sa 90-day rule ng Constitution. Hindi aabot ang aming listahan sa SONA dahil kahit anong bagay na minadali mo, madalas hindi maganda ang kinalalabasan," Escudero said.

The nominees have until the end of closing hours today (July 2) to accept or decline their nomination.

Asked if JBC members have indicated their preference between Supreme Court insiders and outsiders, Escudero said he has no clue.

"Pantay-pantay ang pagtingin namin sa kanila. Magkakaroon lamang ng diperensya kapag nakaharap na namin sa interview at submission ng requirements," Escudero said.

Meanwhile, the senator also defended the two votes granted by the JBC to members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

He said the JBC has ruled that instead of a half vote given to the two representatives of Congress, each representative has been given one vote.

"Bahagi ng trabaho namin iyan bilang chairman ng committee on justice," he said. Escudero is the chairman of the Senate committee on justice, while Niel Tupas is the chairman of the House of Representatives committee on justice.

"Hindi kami dapat tumigil dahil baka maakusahan kaming inabandona [ang aming tungkulin] dahil lang sa sabi-sabi ng ilan," he said.

Former solicitor general Francisco Chavez, a nominee for chief justice, is questioning the composition of the JBC. He said that instead of eight, the council should only have seven members.

Chavez said that the Constitution states that Congress should have only one representative to the JBC. Congress is currently being represented by Escudero and Tupas in the council.

Among nominees who indicated that they would be accepting their nominations were acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Meanwhile, Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue declined her nomination, saying that more reforms are needed in the BIR. Cheryl M. Arcibal