Justice Azcuna ends stint at the Supreme Court

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court associate justice who penned the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) hung his robe on Monday. Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna, whose retirement ceremonies occurred Friday last week, reached the mandatory requirement age of 70 on Monday. Eighteen are vying for Azcuna’s newly vacated position. These include Roberto Abad, dean of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justices Hakim Abdulwahid, Lucas Bersamin, Japar Dimaampao, and Amelita Tolentino, Court of Tax appeals presiding Justice Ernesto Acosta, and human rights laywer Pablito Sanidad. Also taking another chance at an SC post include former Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) commissioner Jose Mario Buñag, CA Associate Justices Martin Villarama, Juan Enriquez, Remedios Salazar-Fernando, Portia Aliño-Hormachuelos and Andres Reyes, Sandiganbayan Justices Edilberto Sandoval and Francisco Villaruz, lawyer Rodolfo Robles, Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera, and Ateneo Law School dean Cesar Villanueva. The eleven contenders previously sought to occupy the post left by retired SC Associate Justice Ruben Reyes, who hung his robe last January 3. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Sandiganbayan presiding justice Diosdado Peralta as Reyes’ replacement. The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), the constitutionally created body that screens and recommends to President Arroyo the appointees to SC vacancies, will start the public interviews for the new contenders on February 25. Aside from Reyes and Azcuna, associate justices Dante Tinga, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Leonardo Quisumbing, Minita Chico-Nazario, and Alicia Austria-Martinez are set to retire in 2009. Before President Arroyo bows out of office in 2010, she would have appointed 14 of the 15-member Supreme Court bench. Only Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who was appointed by President Fidel Ramos in 1993, will be the remaining non-Arroyo appointee in 2010. - Sophia Dedace and Carlo Lorenzo, GMANews.TV