No replacement yet for retired SC justice

Malacañang has yet to appoint the replacement of retired Supreme Court associate justice Cancio Garcia.

In a text message to The STAR Friday, Supreme Court spokesman lawyer  Midas Marquez said the Court is still waiting for the appointment of the candidate to replace Garcia who retired last Oct. 19 upon reaching the retirement age of 70.

Last Oct. 16, the Judicial and Bar Council, responsible for recommending candidates to vacancies in the judiciary, finalized its shortlist of nominees to fill up vacancies in the Supreme Court and at the Court of Appeals.

The shortlist was sent to Malacañang for study by President Arroyo who will be making the appointment.

The vacancy at the appellate court was brought about by the appointment of then CA Presiding Justice Ruben Reyes as associate justice of the Supreme Court following the retirement of Associate Justice Romeo Callejo.

Included in the JBC’s final shortlist for the vacant post at the High Court are CA Justices Martin Villarama Jr. and Edgardo Cruz, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Sandiganbayan Justices Edilberto Sandoval and Francisco Villaruz Jr., and Labor Secretary Arturo Brion, who is a former CA justice.

De Castro and Villaruz are members of the Sandiganbayan’s Special Division, which convicted former President Joseph Estrada of plunder.

Cruz, De Castro and Villarama topped the JBC’s list with seven votes each, followed by Brion, Sandoval and Villaruz who got five votes each.

Meanwhile, only three candidates made it to JBC’s shortlist for the position of CA presiding justice.

Acting CA Presiding Justice Conrado Vasquez Jr. and CA Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando tied for the highest number of votes with six each while CA Justice Villarama placed second with five votes.

Chief Justice Reynato Puno is the concurrent JBC ex-officio chairman.

The JBC’s ex-officio members are Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez (who is on leave and is represented by Acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera), Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Rep. Matias  Defensor Jr., while the regular JBC members are retired SC justice Regino Hermosisima Jr., Dean Amado Dimayuga and retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raul Victorino.