JBC ends search for new boss

Aspirants to the Chief Justice post are Associate Justices Diosdado M. Peralta, Estela M. Perlas Bernabe, Andres B. Reyes Jr., and Jose C. Reyes Jr. #searchfornewCJ #LucasBersamin

On 18 October, Bersamin reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 for members of the judiciary and has to step down.

The search for the next head of the Supreme Court and judiciary to replace the retiring Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin ends at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

On 18 October, Bersamin reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 for members of the judiciary and has to step down.

The 2 September deadline to find Bersamin’s replacement was an extension of the original 20 August deadline set by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), the constitutional office that accepts, screens, and nominates appointments to the judiciary.

The JBC said an applicant or nominee for Chief Justice must be a natural-born citizen, at least 40 years old, has been a trial court judge for 15 years or more or engaged in the practice of law for the same period, and “must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.”

Based on the 20 August deadline, four associate justices were aspirants to the post based on seniority in the 15-member SC namely Diosdado M. Peralta, Estela M. Perlas Bernabe, Andres B. Reyes Jr., and Jose C. Reyes Jr.

JBC rules provide that it has to name at least three nominees for submission to President Duterte, who, under the Constitution, has 90 days from 28 October to appoint Bersamin’s replacement.

The five most senior associate justices have been nominated by the SC, as a full court. They are Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio and Associate Justices Peralta, Bernabe, Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen, and Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa.

While Associate Justice Francis H. Jardeleza is more senior than Caguioa in the current lineup, the former was not automatically nominated because he is compulsory retiring on 26 September.

Carpio, who is retiring on 26 October, Leonen and Caguioa have declined their nominations.

In the case of Associate Justice Andres B. Reyes Jr., he was nominated by retired SC Associate Justice Jose P. Perez and former Court of Appeals Associate Justice Sesinando Villon.

It was not known immediately who nominated Associate Justice Jose C Reyes Jr.