The Judicial and Bar Council announced that 60 lawyers -some of them already government prosecutors and municipal trial court judges- wish to become RTC judges.
RTC judges earns around P30,000 a month.
"Kana sila wala na mag-apas og sweldo, ang giapas ana nila mao ang dungog nga mahimo sila nga huwes ug basin mahimong mga justices," said a prominent lawyer in Cebu who does not like to become a judge because of the "low salary".
Luzviminda Puno, Clerk of Court and ex-officio secretary of the JBC said members of the council are now deliberating of whom among the applicants they will recommend to the Supreme Court.
Puno also asked the public to submit any sworn complaint, written report or opposition against any of the applicants before Wednesday.
The letter should be sent to the JBC secretariat, 2nd floor, Centennial Building, Supreme Court, Padre Faura, Manila. The RTC branches here that do not have judges are 8,11,12,16,18 & 22.
Of the RTC judges, Antonio Echavez of Branch 8, Judge Aproniano of Branch 12 and Galicano Arriesgado of Branch 18 retired recently.
Judges Isaias Dicdican of Branch 11 and Pampio Abarintos of Branch 22 were promoted as Court of appeals justices while Branch 16 judge Agapito Hontanosas was dismissed from the service by the Supreme Court.
Those who wish to fill up the vacancy are lawyers Gines Abella, Rodolfo Acido, Lawrence Agustin, Benedicto Alo, Oscar Andrino, Eduardo Banaag, Ricardo Barrios, Joseph Berciles, Ma. Cecilia Berciles, Cesar Bordolba, Avito Cahig, Victor Canoy, Noel Catacutan.
Antonio Caneda, Leopoldo Cañete, Hilda Clave, Arlene Dato, Edito Enemencio, Fernando Felicen, Rex Fernandez, Carlos Fernando, Teresita Galaneda, Felixberto Geromo, Gerardo Gestopa, Rodolfo Golez, Ma. Daisy Gonzales, Fernando Guerrero, Macaundas Hadjirasul.
Elizabeth Hermosisima, Romeo Itao, June Iway, Cornelio Jaca, Bernardo Jimenez, Cicero Jurado, Rosalio Kintanar, Ernesto Maximo Laurel, Rogelio Lucmayon, Douglas Marigomen, Gilbert Moises, Donato Navarro.
Manuel Ong, Eusebio Otadoy, Joshua Palalay, Manuel Patalinghug, Benjamin Ramos, Omar Redulla, Ma. Amifaith Reyes, Miguel Rocamora, Edgemelo Rosales, Wilfredo Sentillas, Francisco Seville.
Steve Siclot, Estela Singco, Ma. Rowena Tan, Romulo Tolentino, Jocelyn Uy, Ester Veloso, Perla Vilo, Dax Xenos and Jose Yamut.