Palace: Nominees for SC vacancy should possess integrity

MANILA, Philippines - Nominees for the lone vacancy in the Supreme Court (SC) must possess integrity, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda was referring to nominees the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will submit  to President Aquino.

Speaking to reporters, Lacierda said: “The President has always maintained that he should appoint someone of probity, integrity and the descriptions provided in the Constitution.”

He issued the statement following the position of Deputy Executive Secretary for Legislative Affairs Michael Aguinaldo supporting Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza’s stand that he should have been included in the JBC shortlist.

Jardeleza questioned the JBC deliberations which Malacañang – through Aguinaldo – backed.

Lacierda said Aquino has not yet interviewed any of the nominees, including audit chairman Grace Pulido-Tan, Court of Appeals Justices Jose Reyes Jr. and Apolinario Bruselas Jr., and Quezon City Judge Reynaldo Daway.

“The President will have to appoint someone based on the constitutional standards and based upon his appreciation of the person or the nominee that he will interview,” he said.

Malacañang insiders told The STAR Aquino does not want to appoint any of the four JBC nominees to the post vacated by retired Justice Roberto Abad.

A source  disclosed it was  Aquino’s disappointment over his first SC appointee – Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno – who kept on pushing Tan’s appointment even if Aquino personally prefers Jardeleza.

Jardeleza had apprised Aquino of what had transpired in the JBC deliberations.

He informed him he had been singled out by Sereno despite his getting four votes equivalent to that of fellow nominee Daway.

Another justice opposing Jardeleza is Antonio Carpio.

Aquino is bound by the JBC shortlist.