3 more SC justices to undergo interview for chief justice post on Monday

Interviews will be resumed by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) of candidates for the next chief justice on Monday, 26 October, with three Supreme Court justices scheduled to appear.

The interviews will run from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Associate Justices Rodil V. Zalameda, Japar B. Dimaampao, and Jose Midas P. Marquez scheduled to appear before the council.

The JBC last Thursday interviewed Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justice Benjamin S. Caguioa, who are also vying for the post.

Marquez was endorsed by the Association of Retired Regional Trial Court Judges of the Philippines and former SC Associate Justice Arturo Brion.

Meanwhile, Dimaampao was endorsed by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament.

Zalameda is among the most senior members of the High Court, along with Leonen and Caguioa.

Applicants are being screened by the JBC for vacancies in the judiciary, and it submits a shortlist of nominees to the President for appointment.

Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, the court’s 27th chief justice, is set to retire on 6 Nov. 2026 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The President, under the Constitution, must appoint his successor within 90 days from the vacancy.

In 2017, Gesmundo was appointed SC associate justice and became chief justice in 2021.

During his tenure, Gesmundo pushed for judicial modernization through the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations, which introduced reforms involving digital technology, electronic filing, and streamlined court processes.

A vacancy is expected in the 15-member tribunal when Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier retires on 16 November 2026.