JBC set to screen aspirants for 2nd ombudsman post

MANILA, Philippines - The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is set to screen six aspirants for the position of overall deputy ombudsman to be vacated by the retirement of Orlando Casimiro next month.

In an announcement published in The STAR yesterday, the constitutional body tasked to vet nominees to posts in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman set the public interviews for Casimiro’s replacement on July 31.

Acting Deputy Ombudsman for Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices Rudiger Falcis II, former assistant ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang and Office of the President Undersecretary Ronaldo Geron will be interviewed in the morning.

Three other nominees - Commission on Elections (Comelec) planning director Ferdinand Rafanan, People’s Law Enforcement Board of Quezon City chairman George Soriano and private lawyer Vernard Quijano – will have their turn in answering questions from the seven-member panel in the afternoon.

After the public interviews, the JBC will come up with a shortlist of at least three names from where President Aquino will pick the official next in rank to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Under the law, the President should make the appointment 90 days after Casimiro retires on Aug. 23. The new overall deputy ombudsman will have a seven-year term.

The JBC, through its ex-officio secretary Supreme Court Clerk of Court Enriqueta Vidal, invited the public in the same announcement to submit a sworn complaint, report or opposition against any of the six candidates until July 22.

“Candidates with incomplete or out-of-date documentary requirements shall neither be interviewed nor considered for nomination,” the JBC said.

All six aspirants were given until July 17 to complete the submission of documentary requirements.

Last month, the JBC had disqualified lawyer Jasper Lucero, an aspirant for the position of presiding justice of Sandiganbayan, for failure to submit the needed requirements.