Number of nominees, recommendations for CJ post reaches 65

The number of nominees for the chief justice position reached 65 as of Monday, a week before the extended deadline on July 2, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council told reporters.

 

“Ang alam ko umabot na sa 65 yung bilang at dami nung nominees,” JBC ex-officio member Senator Francis Escudero told reporters in a chance interview on Monday after a council meeting.

 

However, the council will longer release the names of candidates who were recommended or who applied as nominees to the chief justice post, unless they have accepted or declined the nomination, said Escudero who also chairs the Senate justice committee.

 

Of the 65, 13 accepted their respective nominations and while 11 declined, Escudero noted.

 

Among those who accepted were Associate Justice Arturo Brion, Associate Justice Roberto Abad, Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, Former Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora, Former University of the Philippines Law dean Raul Pangalangan and Former Ateneo Law dean Cesar Villanueva.

 

Women’s rights lawyer Katrina Legarda, former Judge Manuel Siyangco Jr., lawyer Rafael Morales, and De La Salle University Law School Dean Jose Manuel Diokno also accepted.

 

Those who declined include Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe, Associate Justice Mariano Del Castillo, Former Congressman Gibo Teodoro, Former Senator Rene Saguisag and Landphil president Rodolfo Robles.

 

Former assistant provincial prosecutor Marianito Sasodoncillo, Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Roan Libarios, and Former Energy Secretary Raphael "Popo" Lotilla likewise declined. 

 

Ochoa declines

 

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. declined a recommendation by one Egay Bigay to include the Palace official as contender for the chief justice post.

 

In a June 22 letter to JBC, Ochoa said: “The undersigned has received information that I have been nominated for the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court… I respectfully decline the nomination.”

 

The deadline for recommendations and applications for the CJ post was extended to July 2. 

 

The President has 90 days or until August 27 to appoint the next chief justice, a post vacated by the impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona.

 

The Senate impeachment court–on May 29–found Corona guilty of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution. —VS, GMA News