Of the 22 individuals vying for the chief justice position, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima and Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza have been included in the first batch of candidates who will undergo public interview starting July 24.

 

In an announcement published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Tuesday, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said De Lima and Jardeleza, on the first day of public interviews, will be joined by lawyer Soledad Cagampang-De Castro, Chairman Andres Bautista of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, founding dean of the De La Salle University College of Law Jose Manuel Diokno, and women rights lawyer Katrina Legarda.

 

Others who will also be interviewed that same day are: lawyer Rafael Morales, former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law Raul Pangalangan, Elections Commissioner Rene Sarmiento and retired Judge Manuel Siayngco Jr.

 

On Thursday, July 26, acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro will be among those to be interviewed.

 

Also scheduled on that day are lawyer Vicente Velasquez; University of the East College of Law Dean Amado Valdez; and former dean of the Ateneo de Manila Law School, Cesar Villanueva.

 

On Friday, Securities and Exchange Commission chairperson Teresita Herbosa will kick off the interview followed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, and former Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora.

 

Remaining candidate-justices Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. will conclude the candidates’ public interview.

 

JBC, the body that vets and screens vacancies in judicial posts, will conduct the public interview at the Division Hearing Room in the Supreme Court, the announcement read.

 

The interviews are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noontime, and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

 

The public may submit to the JBC a sworn complaint, report or opposition (in 10 legible copies) against any of the candidates for the chief justice post not later than July 20, the JBC said.

 

The council earlier released the guidelines in covering the public interviews after the council has approved a new policy of allowing media coverage during the interview.

After the public interview, the JBC will deliberate to come up with a “short list” of at least three nominees that will be forwarded to the President, where he will select his appointee. 

 

The President has until August 27 to appoint the 24th chief justice of the Philippines. — RSJ, GMA News