Public interview of chief justice applicants set for March 12

Members of the screening body Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will hold a public interview of the three applicants for chief justice on Friday.

Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe will be the first to face the JBC, to be followed by Associate Justices Alexander Gesmundo and Ramon Paul Hernando, according to the advisory released by the council.

"The public may submit to the JBC a sworn complaint, report, or opposition against any of the aforesaid candidates," the JBC said.

Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta will leave the judiciary on his 69th birthday on March 27, one year ahead of the mandatory retirement age for judges and justices.

Peralta currently heads the JBC.

Its members include Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Senator Richard Gordon, Leyte Representative Vicente Veloso III, retired SC justices Jose Mendoza and Noel Tijam, as well as retired judges Toribio Ilao Jr.  and Franklin Demonteverde. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News