DOJ chief, CA justices among 5 shortlisted for SC post

MANILA, Philippines – The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Monday named the five shortlisted nominees for the associate justice post of the Supreme Court (SC).

After conducting last January 7 and 8 its two-day public interviews for the candidates who will replace 174th Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., the JBC picked five for a chance to fill the vacancy for the seat of Villarama.

READ: JBC sets interviews of nominees to SC post | LIVE: Public interview for Supreme Court justice post

Among the five nominees submitted to President Benigno Aquino III was Justice Secretary Benjamin Caguioa,who happens to be his former chief presidential legal counsel and classmate from grade school to college at the Ateneo de Manila University.

The four other shortlisted candidates are Court of Appeals (CA) Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, CA Justices Jose Reyes and Apolinario Bruselas and Commission on Audit Chair Maria Garcia Pulido-Tan.

All candidates were shortlisted from 16 nominees in the public interview conducted by the seven-member JBC.

Caguioa, Andres and Jose lead the nominees with seven votes followed by Pulido-Tan with five votes and Bruselas with four votes.

The chosen associate justice will take the place of Villarama who retired last January 16 due to health reasons.