JBC submits list for Court of Appeals, Sandigan vacancies

MANILA, Philippines – A list of final nominees for appointment to the Court of Appeals (CA) and Sandiganbayan have been submitted to Malacañang.

During voting presided over by Chief Justice Renato Corona last Monday, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) came up with 13 names for three vacancies in the CA and three names for a vacant seat in the Sandiganbayan.

Nominated to the CA are: Regional Trial Court Judges Louis Acosta (Taguig), Abraham Borreta (Pasig), Pedro Corales (Pasay City), Winlove Dumayas (Makati), Renato Francisco (Malolos), Henri Jean Paul Inting (Quezon City), Carmelita Manahan (Manila), Pamela Ann Maxino (Guagua, Pampanga), Divina Ongkeko (Sta. Cruz, Laguna), Victoria Isabel Paredes (Caloocan City), Melchor Sadang (Cavite City), Rafael Santos and Manila Prosecutor Jhosep Lopez.

The three vacancies were left by the appointment of Associate Justices Martin Villarama Jr. and Jose Mendoza to the Supreme Court, and by the retirement of Associate Justice Arturo Tayag.

Nominees for Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan are RTC Judges Bernelito Fernandez and Rafael Lagos of Quezon City, and Assistant Solicitor General Amparo Tang.

They are vying for the post left vacant by Edilberto Sandoval who was named Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan following the death of Norberto Geraldez.

Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days from the date of retirement or the occurrence of the vacancy to make the appointment.

The JBC’s four regular members are retired SC Justice Regino Hermosisima, retired CA Justice Aurora Lagman, Integrated Bar of the Philippines representative lawyer J. Conrado Castro and newly appointed regular member, former justice secretary Artemio Tuquero Jr., who represents the academe.

JBC ex-officio members are: Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Sen. Francis Escudero and Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr.