MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council has opened the application and recommendation period for the post to be vacated by Supreme Court Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang, who will retire early next year.
Carandang, appointed to the SC in November 2018, is set to step down on Jan. 9, 2022, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
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The JBC also opened applications for five seats at the Court of Appeals and 73 judgeship posts in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao and SOCCSKSARGEN regions in Mindanao.
At the appellate court, five seats are opened following compulsorily retirement of three justices from the period of March 2021 to November 2021, and another for the passing of one magistrate.
Another vacancy at the CA was created when Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez was appointed to the SC on Jan. 25, 2021.
Interested applicants for the posts are told to access the Online Application Scheduler on the JBC website not later than November 2 and to fill our required information.
Anti-terrorism law petitions
In a chance interview in July, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmubndo said the SC will do “its best” to come out with a decision on the petitions challenging the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 before 2020 ends, as Carandang is set to retire early in January.
“We’ll do our best to have that petitions decided before [Carandang] retires,” Gesmundo said on July 8.
During the oral arguments, Carandang was the first among the justices to interpellate the oralists. Traditionally, the member-in-charge of the case goes first in questioning parties.
Following the rules of court, unresolved petitions of a retiring justice will be passed on to the magistrate who will fill up the vacancy.
SC vacancies
One seat is still vacant at the 15-member Bench of the SC.
President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to name the magistrate to take the post vacated by Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos who opted for early retirement on June 30, citing health reasons.
The JBC submitted to Duterte seven names for Delos Santos’ seat on August 27. They are Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg; Court of Appeals Justices Ramon Cruz and Maria Filomena Singh; and Court Administrator Midas Marquez and Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva.
Also included on the shortlist for Delos Santos is the newest SC appointee Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao. He filled the vacancy created when Gesmundo was appointed as chief justice.
Dimaampao took an oath before the chief justice on September 14.