Velasco named new SC justice?

Has Supreme Court administrator Presbitero Velasco Jr. finally been "promoted" to be one of its justices?

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told The STAR last night that he was not aware of any such appointment signed by President Arroyo.

Sources disclosed yesterday Mrs. Arroyo had appointed Velasco to fill up the vacancy in the High Court following the retirement of Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. last year.

Velasco told The STAR he himself was "told by some people" that he had been appointed but stressed he had not seen his appointment papers yet.

"I think it is best to wait for that, okay?" he said over the phone.

Velasco topped the five nominees on the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for the lone vacant post in the SC. Sources said they waited until Saturday for the appointment paper from Malacañang that never came.

The President normally picks the No. 1 choice of the council.

One of those being eyed for the post, chief presidential legal counsel Antonio Nachura, has been named solicitor general to replace Alfredo Benipayo, who resigned.

Benipayo is also on the shortlist of candidates for Supreme Court justice.

Velasco is a "perennial" candidate for Supreme Court magistrate, and is also addressed as a "Justice" since he is the court administrator.

On the JBC list, Velasco received a perfect eight votes. He placed sixth in the 1971 Bar exams, with a grade of 89.85 percent. He finished his law degree at the age of 22 after earning his political science degree in only three years.

Velasco was a former justice undersecretary, past president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and a former Court of Appeals associate justice before being appointed Supreme Court administrator.

Following Velasco on the JBC list were Nachura and Court of Appeals Justice Roberto Barrios, with seven votes each.

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, who topped the Supreme Court’s list, got six votes from the JBC; Benipayo received only five votes.