Noy to name new SC justice today

PHNOM PENH – President Aquino said he will appoint the 15th justice of the Supreme Court a day before the constitutionally mandated Nov. 22 deadline, shortly after he arrives in Manila from his attendance in the 21st ASEAN summit here in Cambodia.

“Nov. 22 is the deadline. Para sigurado Nov. 21 nandoon na. Siguro naman wala na hong kaduda-duda iyon (Nov. 21 to be sure, so there should be no more doubts),” he told Manila-based reporters yesterday over coffee at the Sofitel Hotel here where he was billeted.

When asked whether chief government negotiator Marvic Leonen has the advantage over his six other fellow nominees, Aquino laughed: “Let’s wait for the next chapter.”

Aquino said he will be interviewing Leonen – a former law dean of the University of the Philippines – when he returns to Manila, because he was not able to talk to him over the weekend as the lawyer was still holding talks in Malaysia.

Only six nominees have been interviewed – former energy secretary Raphael Lotilla, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr., CA Justices Rosmari Carandang, Noel Tijam and Jose Reyes Jr., and De La Salle University Law dean Jose Manuel Diokno.

Reliable sources revealed Leonen is the “personal choice” of Aquino to fill the lone vacant slot vacated by Ma. Lourdes Sereno, who was promoted chief justice in late August after Renato Corona was ousted last May.

Palace insiders said the former UP law dean has the real and definitive edge, owing to the fact that it was the Chief Executive himself who persuaded him to apply for the last slot in the high tribunal.

Leonen was nominated to the 15-man high tribunal by former UP president Emerlinda Roman and human rights lawyer Pablito Sanidad and he accepted the nomination.

Once appointed, the government chief negotiator with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will be spending more than two decades in the judiciary, since Leonen is only in his late 40s.

Sources also disclosed that Leonen will be accepting his SC appointment, but will not be assuming office yet until after he irons out all the kinks needed in the implementation of the framework agreement, which may extend until December.