JBC raises concern over reports on leaked psych exam results

Members of the Judicial and Bar Council are still "discussing" whether to conduct an investigation into the leakage of psychological test results of several aspirants to the chief justice post, including that of eventual appointee Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. This developed as JBC member from the academe Jose Mejia confirmed to GMA News Online the council has turned down Supreme Court Associate Justice Arturo Brion's request to release the result of his psychological exam. Brion insisted that the JBC should give him a  copy of the report since it has leaked in the media anyway. According to the leaked document, Brion had scored a "3" or "satisfactory" in his psychiatric and psychological exam, one of the requirements that aspirants for the chief justice post had to undergo. "Yes [we didn't grant Brion's request] because it is in our rule that the same [psychological report] is confidential," Mejia told GMA News Online. The JBC is the body mandated by the Constitution to screen and vet nominees for vacant posts in the judiciary, and offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman. The JBC is currently composed of eight members: four ex-officio members from the judiciary, executive, and legislative departments, as well as four regular members from the academe, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), private sector, and fa retired Supreme Court justice. Asked if the JBC is poised to probe the incident and take measures to prevent further leaks of other confidential reports on the CJ aspirants, Mejia said: "We are still discussing it." Brion was not the first top judge aspirant to have his psychological exam result leaked to the media. Before that, the Manila Times had already reported - quoting a leaked document - that Sereno scored poorly in the exam with a grade of 4, the second lowest among the group of 20 candidates. IBP President Roan Libarios had said he did not find the need to release Sereno's psychological test result, saying the IBP was taking the JBC's word for it when it said Sereno advanced to the next round of the selection process because she did not flunk any tests. JBC regular member for the IBP earlier told reporters in an event last week attended by Sereno in Pasay City that the issue on Sereno's mental health was already considered "closed," saying that psychological test results were not ranked in the first place and that test results did not matter so long as a candidate is found not to be suffering from psychosis or any other mental disorder.   After being turned down by the JBC, Brion reportedly referred his concerns to the en banc, but Sereno allegedly blocked his request and appealed for more time so she can discuss Brion's concerns with the JBC since she is the JBC's ex-officio chairperson. — LBG, GMA News