JBC to shortlist 'next to an angel' CJ nominees

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III would have a difficult time choosing the next chief justice of the Supreme Court as the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) would be shortlisting "next to an angel" nominees.

Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr., a member of the JBC, said that the council is seekingto present to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III nominees that the public would trust and would expect to have qualities befitting the country's highest magistrate.

"Mahihirapan si Pangulo kasi mataas expectation ng public, napakataas. May positive at negative iyan so mahirap na choice itong next Chief Justice kasi next to an angel [ang dapat] na piliin natin. Maaga ibibigay [sa kanya ang listahan] para makapag-isip si Presidente," Tupas said in a television interview.

Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days from vacancy of the post to choose the next Chief Justice, but Tupas said that the JBC would expedite the screening and shortlisting of the applicants for the post.

"Para sa amin, hindi na namin paabutin ng 90 days...so before July 30," said Tupas, the lead prosecutor in the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

De Lima, Sarmiento cases

Tupas said that from the list of 22, it could be whittled down to 20 nominees if Justice Leila de Lima and poll commissioner Rene Sarmiento would fail to secure a dismissal of their respective cases.

"We'll give them a chance na maipa-dismiss yung case...Naawa rin kami sa mga applicants na outright disqualified na sila on the day of the voting. Pabayaan natin sila mag-interview at mag-exam pero kahit magandang perfomance sa July 30 voting, pwede silang ma-disqualify kung administrative ang case pero kung fact-finding, may discretion kami," Tupas added.

From the original 26 applicants, four have been disqualified by the JBC for various reasons, such as being overaged and being unqualified for the post, Tupas said.

Tupas said only six of the 22 nominees are from the Supreme Court (SC) while the rest are "outsiders," coming from the academe and other branches of the government.

The six nominees from the SC are:

Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio

Supreme Court Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad

Supreme Court Associate Justice Arturo D. Brion

Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro

Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno

Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.

The "outsider" nominees are:

Presidential Commission on Good Government Chairman Andres Bautista

Law Professor Soledad Cagampang-De Castro

Justice Secretary Leila M. De Lima

Human rights lawyer Jose Manuel I. Diokno

Securities and Exchange Commission Chairperson Teresita J. Herbosa

Solicitor-General Francis H. Jardeleza

Women’s rights advocate Maria Carolina T. Legarda

Lawyer Rafael Morales

Former University of the Philippines Law Dean Raul C. Pangalangan

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez

Commission on Elections Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento

Lawyer Manuel DJ Siayngco Jr.1

University of the East Law Dean Amado D. Valdez

Lawyer Vicente Velasquez

Former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar Villanueva

Former Executive Secretary Ronaldo B. Zamora