27 candidates for ombudsman to be screened next month

MANILA, Philippines - Twenty-seven official candidates for ombudsman are set to be screened through public interviews next month.

The eight-member Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) chaired by Chief Justice Renato Corona said the bets would be interviewed in alphabetical order according to their surnames on June 22, 23, 27, 28 and 29.

First to the face the JBC on June 22 are Judge Alfredo Agawa, Judge Philip Aguinaldo, former deputy ombudsman for Visayas Pelagio Apostol, Justice Undersecretary Leah Armamento and lawyer Procopio Beltran Jr.

The next day, five more nominees would be interviewed: lawyer Emmanuel Bonoan, former justice undersecretary Jose

Calida, Ampatuan counsel Howard Calleja, lawyer Felix Carao, Jr., and retiring Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales.

To be interviewed on June 27 are acting Ombudsman and Overall Deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro, former solicitor general Francisco Chavez, De la Salle law dean and Free Legal Assistance Group chairman Jose Manuel Diokno, and lawyers Donato Faylona and Ernesto Francisco Jr.

They would be followed by lawyers Raymundo Francisco, and Catalino Generillo z Jr., Court of Appeals Justice Portia Hormachuelos, Judge Amelia Infante, lawyer Francis Jardeleza, and Alternative Law Group head Marlon Manuel on June 28.

The JBC will interview on June 29 lawyer Gerard Mosquera,

Judge Divinagracia Ongkeko, lawyer Renan Ramos, former ambassador and National Labor Relations Commission chairman Roy Señeres, former JBC member Artemio Tuquero and Florecio Villarin.

Republic Act 6770 or the Ombudsman Law requires the ombudsman to be a natural born citizen of the Philippines, at least 40 years old, member of the Philippine Bar, and must not have been a candidate for any elective national or local office in the immediately preceding election.

The ombudsman, who has a fixed term of seven years, must also have at least 10 years’ experience as a judge or law practitioner in the Philippines.

Deliberations of the JBC are expected to focus on the criterion that the ombudsman should have recognized probity and independence from political influence, especially the appointing authority.

The JBC has announced that it would be ready by July 4 with the shortlist from where President Aquino would pick the replacement of Merceditas Gutierrez.

Aquino has until Aug. 6 to make the appointment under constitutional rules.

The JBC has also set public interviews of candidates for the position vacated by the resignation last month of Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Mark Jalandoni.