Even before the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) schedules public interviews for applicants to the upcoming Supreme Court Chief Justice (CJ) vacancy, due to the mandatory retirement of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo on 6 November 2026, the judicial community expects an interesting contest.

The JBC formally opened the application and nomination process on 29 August 2026.

The JBC said interested applicants and nominators have until 13 October 2026, at 4:30 p.m., to submit their requirements via the online portal.

The council also invited the five most senior associate justices — Marvic Leonen, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Ramon Paul Hernando, Henri Jean Paul Inting, and Rodil Zalameda — to apply.

The JBC automatically invites the five most senior associate justices, reflecting tradition, institutional stability, and the Supreme Court’s established principle of seniority.

The five senior justices were invited based on the longstanding custom of viewing the most senior members of the high court as having the deep institutional memory, judicial experience, and leadership readiness required to lead the judiciary.

Because of this tradition, the JBC automatically considers the top five senior associate justices as natural candidates for the vacancy and proactively invites them to formalize their applications.

However, while seniority is heavily weighted, it is not an absolute rule, as senior justices must still formally accept the invitation, submit the required documents, and undergo the JBC vetting process.

The Association of Retired RTC Judges of the Philippines (ARRJOP), for instance, has endorsed Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez, citing his record as Court Administrator and his rapport with judiciary personnel at all levels.

By seniority, Marquez sits toward the junior end of the current bench. He was appointed the 192nd associate justice of the Supreme Court and assumed office on 27 September 2021 under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Seniority on the Court is reckoned by date of appointment/oath, so any justice named after November 2021 outranks him in juniority, meaning Marquez isn’t the most junior member today, but he’s several appointments removed from the Court’s senior bloc.

‘Noteworthy’ record cited

In a September 1 letter to the JBC, ARRJOP president Judge Lyliha Aquino said the group’s members, who served alongside Marquez as Regional Trial Court judges, found his work ethic and professional competence “noteworthy.”

The letter said Marquez, while serving as Court Administrator, advocated for the welfare of judges in first- and second-level courts and court personnel, treating employees “from judges to maintenance staff” with what the group described as fairness and equality.

ARRJOP said Marquez maintained the same precision and attention to detail as he rose to the Supreme Court, and credited him with introducing measures to improve judicial services and the welfare of its members.

The group noted Marquez held concurrent posts as Court Administrator, Supreme Court spokesperson and head of the Public Information Office before he was appointed Associate Justice, and said this experience qualifies him for the top judicial post.

ARRJOP expressed confidence that Marquez would bring the same qualities to the Chief Justice position.

Shortlist by next month

Public interviews and official vetting will only commence after the application deadline passes and the official list of candidates is finalized and published.