SC recommends 7 CA justices for 2 vacancies

Out of the 33 candidates vying for the two forthcoming vacancies in the Supreme Court, seven Court of Appeals justices were recommended by the high court to be shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC). At a news briefing on Tuesday, Supreme Court spokesman and administrator Jose Midas Marquez said the SC justices each picked six candidates whom they want to occupy the two seats that will be vacated by SC justices Antonio Nachura and Conchita Carpio-Morales this month. Marquez said those who topped the voting are CA justices Bienvenido Reyes (nine votes), Jose Reyes (eight votes), Magdangal de Leon (seven votes), and Remedios Salazar-Fernando, Estela Bernabe, Andres Reyes and Noel Tijam (six votes each). Section 1, Rule 8 of the JBC mandates the council to "give due weight and regard to the recommendees of the Supreme Court." Marquez said that the JBC — the constitutional body that vets, screens, and recommends to the President appointees to the judiciary and to the positions of Ombudsman and deputy Ombudsman — is set to conduct its voting on June 21. The JBC will then submit to President Benigno Aquino III a shortlist of at least six nominees to the two vacant posts. Aside from the seven candidates, those vying for the two upcoming vacant seats are: Court of Appeals Associate Justices Ramon Bato Jr., Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Rosmari Carandang, Stephen Cruz, Isaias Dicdican, Hakim Abdulwahid, Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo, Japar Dimaampao, Portia Hormachuelos, and Vicente Veloso, Court of Tax Appeals Associate Justice Juanito Castañeda Jr. and Lovell Bautista, Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Alex Quiroz and Francisco Villaruz, former University of the Philippines law dean Raul Pangalangan, and University of the East law school dean Amado Valdez, Laguna Regional Trial Court Judge Marino Rubia, constitutionalist Rodolfo Robles, Commission on Elections commissioner Rene Sarmiento, SC deputy court administrator Nimfa Vilches, and lawyers Pablito Sanidad, Katrina Legarda, Tomas Cabili, Francis Jardeleza, Eduardo Lizares and Sabino Padilla IV. -- Sophia Dedace/KBK, GMA News