JBC: 13 names for SC post

MANILA, Philippines - The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has received 13 nominees to become the next associate justice of the Supreme Court (SC), the post vacated by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Of the 13 nominees, only nine have indicated their acceptance of the nomination by last Monday, the deadline set by the JBC.

Those who confirmed their nomination were Court of Appeals (CA) Justices Noel Tijam, Magdangal de Leon and Isaias Dicdican; Cesar Villanueva, chairman of the Governance Commission on Government Owned and Controlled Corporations; De La Salle law founding dean Jose Manuel Diokno; and former Davao City Regional Trial Court judge Adoracion Cruz Avisado.

CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr., CA Associate Justice Ramon Bato Jr. and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair Teresita Herbosa, who was among the nominees for chief magistrate, applied for the post on their own.

The other nominees were peace panel chair Marvic Leonen, National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Commissioner Joseph Gerald Mabilog, former Energy secretary Raphael Lotilla and SC chief attorney Edna Dino.

Leonen, Mabilog and Lotilla did not confirm their nomination while Dino declined the post.

According to the JBC, nominees who did not confirm their nomination could not be considered candidates for SC associate justice.

SC to JBC: Release Brion’s psych test results

Meanwhile, the SC has ordered the JBC to release to Associate Justice Arturo Brion the results of his psychological and psychiatric tests.

In a full court session yesterday, the high court told the JBC, an attached institution, that any candidate for chief justice who requests for a copy of their examination report should be given one.

Brion had earlier requested the JBC to provide him a copy of his psych test results. However, the JBC turned down his request, saying the report is confidential and available only to JBC members.

He raised the issue before the SC, which has direct supervision over the JBC.

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno wanted to defer the SC’s ruling on the issue of Brion for a month to give the JBC Executive Committee more time to study the rule on the psychological and psychiatric exams.

But the SC justices agreed that the candidates examined have the right to know the result of their psych test.

The psychological test is a requirement for all applicants for judicial posts under Resolution 009 Rule 6 of the JBC, which states that “good physical health and sound mental/psychological and emotional condition of the applicant play a critical role in his capacity and capability to perform the delicate task of administering justice. The applicant or the recommending party shall submit together with his application or the recommendation a sworn medical certificate or the results of an executive medical examination issued or conducted, as the case may be, within two months prior to the filing of the application or recommendation…”

Brion was a nominee for chief justice and was included in the shortlist of candidates that was submitted to President Aquino.

Reports said that JBC academe representative Jose Mejia had earlier said there will be an investigation into the leakage of the psych test result of Sereno.

The alleged leakage was revealed after a news report claimed that Sereno scored low in the psychological exam.

Mejia said it was the first time that a candidate for chief justice requested for the results of his psychological test.

Senate OKs creation of 71 new courts

The Senate has approved on third reading the creation of 71 new courts in the country to further strengthen the justice system.

“The creation of these new courts in various provinces in the country would significantly decrease the number of unresolved cases in regional and municipal courts,” Sen. Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, said.

The Senate on Monday approved the creation of 69 regional trial courts (RTCs), one metropolitan trial court (MeTC), and one municipal trial court in City (MTCC).

Escudero said more trial courts are ready for sponsorship before the session adjourns this week.

Currently being routed for signing by members of the committee on justice and human rights and the committee on finance are seven additional courts and the conversion of seven RTCs from Pasig City to Taguig City.

“Once these bills are enacted into law, it would be easier for people filing or facing charges before the court to attend hearings,” the senator said.

Escudero said some cases remain unresolved due to the failure of the complainants to religiously attend court hearings.

“The creation of these new courts will primarily lessen the number of unresolved cases and declog court dockets,” he added.

Approved were the creation of one RTC in North Cotabato; four in Compostela Valley; one in Isabela; four in Bukidnon; one in Negros Oriental; 14 RTCs in Barili, Danao City and Mandaue City in Cebu; 17 in San Mateo and Antipolo City, both in Rizal; two in Quezon; 10 in San Pedro, Sta. Cruz, and Biñan in Laguna; four in Tarlac; six in Pampanga and five in Malabon City.

Also approved were the creation of one MeTC in Malabon City and one MTCC in Antipolo City.

Information provided by the Senate finance committee showed that as of January this year, there are almost 600 vacant positions in various courts in the country.

Next year, the judiciary will get P17.77-billion budget allocation from this year’s P15.71 billion, or an increase of 13.08 percent.

The proposed 2013 budget will support the resolution of about 324,434 cases pending in the SC, Court of Appeals and Court of Tax Appeals.

Of the proposed budget, P15.72 billion will go to the SC and lower courts, an increase of 12.86 percent from P13.93 billion, while P1.32 billion will go to the Court of Appeals, or P181.22 million higher than its present budget of P1.144 billion. – With Christina Mendez