Judges’ group endorses Midas Marquez to Duterte for SC justice post

The Philippine Judges Association (PJA) has endorsed the Supreme Court (SC) nomination of Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez to President Rodrigo Duterte.

A July 6 resolution ratified by the 30 national officers and regional directors of the group shows the PJA recommended Marquez's nomination to an upcoming SC vacancy for his "institutional memory" earned through almost three decades of working in the high court.

The resolution was attached to a letter received by the Office of the President on Wednesday.

Despite an opposition letter that accused him of involvement in "ineligible expenses" incurred by the SC, Marquez landed in the Judicial and Bar Council's shortlist of nominees to succeed Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., who will compulsorily retire in August.

Apart from Marquez, Court of Appeals Justices Apolinario Bruselas, Rosmari Carandang, Ramon Garcia, Ramon Hernando, Amy Lazaro-Javier, and Jose Reyes Jr., and former Ateneo De Manila University College of Law Dean Cesar Villanueva made the screening council's cut.

Duterte would be the appointing chief executive of the upcoming vacancies in the High Court.

In its resolution, the PJA said Marquez "possesses the necessary qualifications, character and sobriety" required of members of the high tribunal and "solely" has the "institutional memory" on the operations of the courts and of the SC.

"The Supreme Court would greatly benefit from such institutional memory of Court Administrator Marquez if he is given the chance to serve as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court," the PJA said.

The group also vouched for his "integrity" and "competence."

The PJA is "the only association of Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges that is recognized by the Supreme Court." It says it has a nationwide membership of 1,200 RTC judges.

Marquez started his career as an apprentice in the SC in 1991 and has since held numerous positions, including regular law clerk, court administrator, spokesperson of the SC and chief of its Public Information Office, and chief of staff of the Office of the Chief Justice, according to the court administrator's office website.

He was tagged by ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as among those allegedly inciting calls for her resignation. He also testified before a House committee in connection with impeachment charges against the former top judge. — MDM, GMA News