The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Friday, June 18, named nine of the 15 aspirants as its official nominees to the Supreme Court’s associate justice post that was vacated when then Associate Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo was appointed Chief Justice last April 5.
The nominees are, in alphabetical order: Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotage Tang, former Ateneo de Manila University law dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justices Ramon A. Cruz and Japar B. Dimaampao, Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Geraldine Faith A. Econg and Rafael R. Lagos, Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, CA Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, and Deputy Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva.
The JBC -- the constitutional offices that accepts, screens, and nominates appointments to the judiciary – was expected to submit to President Duterte its list of nominees on Friday afternoon, June 18.
The President, under the Constitution, has 90 days from April 5 to name his appointee.
On July 1, there would be another vacancy in the SC with the early retirement of Associate Justice Edgardo L. Delos Santos.
Delos Santos opted to retire on health reasons.
The JBC has opened the applications or recommendations to Delos Santos’ post.