JBC releases list of applicants for Ombudsman

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Friday released the official list of applicants for the position of Ombudsman.

In a Facebook post, the JBC urged the public to share their comments or concerns about the following applicants:

• Philippine Competition Commission chairperson Michael Aguinaldo
• Interior Undersecretary Romeo Benitez
• Lawyer Jonie Caroche-Vestido
• Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Bautista Corpin Jr.
• Former CA Associate Justice Stephen Cruz
• Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg
• Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres
• Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan
• Former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares 
• Office of the President Deputy Executive Sec. for Legal Affairs Anna Logan
• Retired SC Associate Justice Mario Lopez 
• Former PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag
• Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi 
• Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla
• Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairperson Felix Reyes
• Daraga, Albay Municipal Trial Court Presiding Judge Jason Rodenas
• Former Regional Trial Court Judge Benjamin Turgano

The survey may be accessed before August 26, 4:30 p.m. here. 

According to the JBC, the public interviews of Aguinaldo, Benitez, and Caroche-Vestido, Corpin, and Cruz will take place on August 28.

Meanwhile, Econg, Epres, Gerlan, and Jacinto-Henares will be interviewed on August 29.

For September 1, the applicants to be interviewed are Logan, Lopez, Matibag, and Musngi.

The JBC, meanwhile, said that Remulla, Reyes, Rodenas, and Turgano’s interview will be on September 2.

The interviews will be conducted at the SC Session Hall in Manila.

The appointed official will replace former Ombudsman Samuel Martires, whose term expired on July 27. They will serve a fixed term of seven years without reappointment.

Based on its website, the JBC is tasked to submit nominees for vacant judicial positions to the President. 

It is composed of the Chief Justice as ex officio chairman, the Secretary of Justice, and a representative of the Congress as ex officio members, a representative of the Integrated Bar, a professor of law, a retired member of the Supreme Court, and a representative of the private sector.

Malacañang has designated Special Prosecutor and former Court of Appeals presiding justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo as acting Ombudsman

The Office of the Ombudsman handles the complaints filed against high-ranking government officials and those occupying supervisory positions, complaints involving grave offenses as well as complaints involving large sums of money and/or properties. —VAL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News