THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is set to meet today to decide who among the seven aspirants to the post vacated by the retirement of CA presiding justice Remedios Salazar Fernando will be submitted for Malacañang’s consideration.
Fernando left the judiciary last September 2 after reaching the compulsory retirement age of 70.
Associate Justice Fernanda Lampas Peralta, the most senior CA justice, assumed the post of acting presiding justice pending the appointment by President Ferdinand Marcos of Fernando’s replacement.
Aside from Peralta, the other aspirants for Salazar’s post are CA Associate Justices Nina Antonio Valenzuela, Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Bato Jr., Edwin Sorongon, Mariflor Castillo and Marlene Gonzales-Sison.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the President has to appoint a replacement within 90 days from the date of the vacancy in the judiciary from a list submitted by the JBC.
The JBC is the constitutional body tasked to vet and screen nominees and aspirants to the judiciary.
The Chief Justice is the JBC’s ex officio chair.
The JBC’s members are the Justice Secretary and a representative of Congress, one from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, a professor of law, a retired Supreme Court member, and a representative from the private sector. — Ashzel Hachero
