CA justices to GMA: Pick one of us for SC

Court of Appeals (CA) justices are urging President Arroyo to appoint a nominee from their ranks to fill the vacant seat in the Supreme Court (SC), saying this move is the most acceptable to members of the judiciary.

In a letter sent to the President last Tuesday, 39 justices of the appellate court said their colleague, Presiding Justice Cancio Garcia, deserves to fill the post vacated by SC Justice Josue Bellosillo last November.

The appellate court justices noted that Garcia had been bypassed five times by other junior appellate justices.

"Garcia is highly qualified for the vacant position in the High Court. He has served the judiciary for over 27 years with integrity, competence and dedication to duty," the CA justices said.

Garcia also briefly served as assistant executive secretary for legal affairs in Malacañang during the administration of Corazon Aquino.

The CA justices said Garcia rose from the ranks, starting as a city judge. He then went on to be a regional trial court judge and later associate justice of the CA, where he served as acting presiding justice twice.

Mrs. Arroyo appointed Garcia as CA presiding justice on April 9, 2003. His colleagues said his appointment to the SC will be praised and appreciated by the people serving in the judiciary.

Since assuming the presidency in January 2001, Mrs. Arroyo has appointed three former CA justices to the SC — Justices Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez, Conchita Carpio-Morales and Romeo Callejo Sr.

Bellosillo’s replacement will be the President’s eighth appointee to the 15-member SC. Her other appointees are Justices Renato Corona, Adolf Azcuna, Antonio Carpio and Dante Tinga.

The Judicial and Bar Council submitted its list of five nominees to fill the vacant seat in the SC last Wednesday. Though Garcia is included in the list, the JBC endorsed Court Administrator Presbitero Velasco as its top choice.

Velasco once served as CA justice, Department of Justice undersecretary, and JBC member.

The President has until the second week of February to name her new appointee to the SC since she is mandated to fill up any vacant post in the high tribunal within 90 days from the date it was vacated.

Velasco was unanimously chosen by the eight-member JBC, followed by Solicitor General Alfredo Benipayo, Garcia, and Sandiganbayan Justice Minita Chico-Nazario with seven votes. University of the Philippines professor Ruben Balane came in third with six votes.

Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. chairs the JBC. Its ex officio members include acting Justice Secretary Merceditas Gutierrez as well as Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Eastern Samar Rep. Marcelino Libanan as representatives from Congress.

The council’s regular members include private sector representative Teresita Cruz Sison, Integrated Bar of the Philippines representative Conrado Castro, academician Dean Amado Dimayuga, and retired SC justice Regino Hermosisima who represents the retired justices.