19 contenders eye Supreme Court vacancy
The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has announced public interviews for eight of the 19 applicants seeking the Supreme Court seat to be vacated by Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier upon her retirement on 16 November.
The interviews are scheduled for 13 and 15 October, with the remaining 11 applicants exempted from another round because their previous interviews remain valid.
Among the contenders are Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Fernanda Lampas Peralta, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg and Solicitor General Darlene Marie Berberabe.
The JBC will interview Bureau of Immigration official Aldwin Flora Alegre, Legal Education Board official Jason Rueda Barlis, Econg and Court of Appeals Associate Justice Lily Villareal Biton on 13 October.
Commission on Audit official Gamaliel Asis Cordoba, Office of the Government Corporate Counsel official Solomon Mateo Hermosura, German Quintos Lichauco II and Commission on Elections official Ernesto Perez Maceda Jr. are scheduled for 15 October.
Other applicants include Court of Appeals Associate Justices Nina Geluz Antonio-Valenzuela, Ramon Marino Bato Jr., Ramon Alcala Cruz, Maria Elisa Sempio Diy, Myra Virtucio Garcia-Fernandez, Rolando Roberto Martin and Walter Ong.
Also seeking the post are Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Karl Miranda and Court of Tax Appeals Associate Justice Maria Rowena San Pedro.
The JBC is inviting the public to submit sworn complaints, reports or objections against any applicant until 4:30 p.m. on 19 October.
Submissions may be sent to jbc@judiciary.gov.ph or delivered to the JBC office at the Supreme Court–Court of Appeals Building in Ermita, Manila.
Chaired by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the JBC screens judicial applicants and submits nominees for presidential appointment.
Lazaro-Javier, who joined the Supreme Court on 7 March 2019, will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 on 16 November.
Before her appointment to the high court, she served as a Court of Appeals associate justice and held various positions at the Office of the Solicitor General.