JBC to interview 2 more bets for Sandigan presiding justice

MANILA, Philippines - The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is set to interview today two more nominees for the position left vacant with the retirement of Sandiganbayan presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval last June 20.

Sandiganbayan associate justices Roland Jurado and Alex Quiroz will face the eight-man council chaired by Chief Justice Renato Corona, completing the 10 nominees from which the JBC will pick a shortlist to be submitted to President Aquino.

Justice Jurado is currently chair of the anti-graft court’s fifth division, which handles the case of business tycoon Lucio Tan after Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez-Marcos claimed that the assets of Tan belonged to the Marcos family.

Quiroz, on the other hand, is junior member of the Sandiganbayan third division who had handled the controversial Nida Blanca slay case during his stint as Pasig City trial court judge.

It can be recalled that the JBC reopened recently the application and nomination for top Sandiganbayan post in anticipation to questions on nominations of two of the eight bets for the post – Sandiganbayan associate justices Gregory Ong and Teresita Diaz-Baldos.

Ong was earlier penalized by the SC with a fine of P15,000 for misconduct after being charged by Assistant Special Prosecutor III Rohermia Jamsani-Rodriguez of deciding a case on his own without the two other justices of the fourth division of the anti-graft court.

He was the controversial justice who was already appointed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the SC, but his appointment was returned by the SC to Malacañang over questions on his citizenship due to his Chinese roots.

But the SC eventually upheld Ong’s Filipino citizenship.

Justice Diaz-Baldos, on the other hand, is facing criminal charges in the Department of Justice for approving the controversial plea-bargaining agreement on the plunder case against former military comptroller Carlos Garcia.

The other six bets are: Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Francisco Villaruz and Efren de la Cruz, Deputy Court Administrator Nimfa Vilches, lawyer Tomas Cabili, Benguet trial court Judge Danilo Camacho and Manila regional trial court Judge Pampilo Silvino Jr.

All eight nominees have already been interviewed by the JBC.