22 nominees for 3 vacancies in CA

MANILA, Philippines - Two officials from the interior and justice departments have been nominated for vacancies in the Court of Appeals (CA).

Interior Undersecretary Rafael Antonio Santos and witness protection program director Martin Meñez of the Department of Justice, along with 20 others, are in shortlist for three vacancies that the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) released yesterday.

Santos, also earlier short-listed for presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan, topped the shortlist of eight candidates to replace Associate Justice Pampilo Abarintos, who retired last Dec. 14. He got six votes.

The other seven nominees are Selima Alaras, also with six votes; Maria Amifaith Fider-Reyes, Jonel Sebastian Mercado and Ruben Reynaldo Roxas with five; and Divinagracia Ongkeko, Geraldine Faith Econg and Alex Monteclaro.

Meñez was shortlisted for the vacancy left with the retirement of Associate Justice Angelita Gacutan  last Dec. 3. He also topped the list of eight nominees with six votes.

The other candidates are Geraldine Fiel-Macarag and Pablito Perez with five votes; and Jeoffre Acebido, Crescencio Fortunato Balasbas, Ma. Celestina Mangrobang, Ma. Conchita de Mesa and Gabriel Robendiol with four.

The third and last shortlist was for the vacancy after the retirement of Associate Justice Rosalinda Asuncion-Vicente last Nov. 23. 

It includes Maria Filomena Singh with six votes; Celso Baguio with five; and Phillip Aguinaldo, Perpetua Atal-Pao, Emmanuel Fernando and Wilfredo Nieves, each with four.

Chaired by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the JBC came up with the shortlists after separate selection processes for each vacancy.

President Aquino has 90 days to pick the three replacements from the shortlists.