The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) endorsed to President Rodrigo Duterte nine candidates for the position of Supreme Court associate justice.
The shortlisted candidates are:
-Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang
-Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg
-Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Rafael Lagos
-Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Cruz
-CA Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao
-CA Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh
-Court Administrator Midas Marquez
-Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva
-former Ateneo de Manila University School of Law dean Sedfrey Candelaria
The vacant SC position is that of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo after he was appointed as the top magistrate of the country by Duterte last April. Fifteen applicants applied initially for the post with six of them taking part in public interviews conducted by the JBC early this month.
The President has 90 days or until July to appoint a new SC justice.
Meanwhile, JBC began accepting applications for the seat to be vacated by SC Associate Justice Edgardo delos Santos who had opted for an early retirement on June 30 citing health reasons. Ronald Espartinez