JBC shortlist for first Duterte appointee to SC: 4 CA justices, 1 Sandigan judge

MANILA - The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has cast its vote on the Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice post to be vacated by retiring Associate Justice Jose Perez on December 14, according to well-placed ABS-CBN News sources.

The JBC shortlist for the first appointee to the high court of President Duterte is composed of four Court of Appeals (CA) magistrates and one Sandiganbayan magistrate.

Topping the list with seven votes is CA Associate Justice Jose Reyes.

Tied with five votes each are CA Associate Justices Japar Dimaampao, Apolinario Bruselas and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Samuel Martires.

CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes completes the shortlist with four votes.

Another round of voting will take place on December 9, Friday, for the SC post to be vacated by another retiring SC magistrate, Associate Justice Arturo Brion, who will be hanging his robes on December 29.

The JBC, the constitutionally mandated body to screen and vet nominees vacant posts in the judiciary and the Offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman, is chaired by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno; with ex-officio members, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguierre II, Senator Richard Gordon, and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

Gordon and Umali will share one term at the council. Retired SC Associate Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez is the head of the Executive Committee, while Atty. Jose Mejia, representing the Academe, Atty. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), and retired Judge Toribio Ilao, representing the private sector, are the other regular members.

President Duterte will appoint twelve of the fifteen justices of the SC during his term. The president has ninety days, from the time of vacancy, to appoint the new high court magistrates.