Villarama, De Castro lead JBC bets to SC

The Judicial and Bar Council has recommended to Malacañang the appointment of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Teresita de Castro or Court of Appeals Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr. as possible replacement for retired SC Associate Justice Romeo Callejo.

With JBC’s endorsement, the President, as mandated by the Constitution, has 90 days to appoint the replacement of Callejo, who retired last April 28.

The eight members of the JBC unanimously endorsed De Castro and Villarama. Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Ruben Reyes, a five-time JBC nominee for the SC post, got six votes.

Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong, Court of Tax Appeals Presiding Justice Ernesto Acosta, Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo Brion, Court of Appeals Associate Justice Edgardo Cruz, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr. got five votes each from the JBC.

SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno is the ex-officio chairman of JBC. The JBC is composed of ex-officio members Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, Rep. Simeon Datumanong; and regular members Dean Amado Dimayuga, retired CA Justice Regino Hermosisima Jr., lawyer J. Conrado Castro, and retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raoul Victorino. – Mike Frialde