JBC releases shortlist for next ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council on Friday released its shortlist of candidates for the next ombudsman.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Martires received six votes from the multi-sectoral panel. Office of the Ombudsman Special Prosecutor Edilberto Sandoval received five, while private lawyer Felito Ramirez got four votes from the JBC.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, a member of the JBC by virtue of his position, confirmed the names on the shortlist. He earlier said that the list will be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte on the same day that it is released. The JBC screens applicants while the president has the power to appoint.

Martires earlier received 11 votes of confidence from his colleagues at the high court, although it was the JBC that made the final decision on nominees.

He is Duterte's first appointee to the Supreme Court and is set to retire from the court next January. He previously served as a Sandiganbayan justice for 11 years.

Opposition from a group of theology teachers had formally opposed Martires' nomination and accused him of "faith-shaming" former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno during the oral arguments on the quo warranto petition that eventually voided her appointment.

Martires denied their accusation and apologized to Sereno.

Sandoval, meanwhile, served as a Sandiganbayan presiding justice before assuming the position of ombudsman special prosecutor in July 2017. He has a stellar academic record, as he graduated as cum laude and valedictorian of his law class at Far Eastern University. He also took a special post-graduate training course at Harvard University.

Sandoval, facing the JBC panel, said that there are many cases lodged before the ombudsman and that deadlines for resolution of those cases "should be strict." To address inordinate delays, he said that they "would direct the investigators to strictly comply with the deadline that the ombudsman would set."

Private lawyer Ramirez, like Duterte, is a San Beda alumnus. He is also a member of Duterte's fraternity, Lex Talionis. He ranked seventh in the 1972 bar examinations.

During his public interview with the JBC, Ramirez said that he wants the Office of the Ombudsman to to tackle small issues, such as problems that affect the masses.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales will step down on July 26 after a seven-year term.

Among the high-profile cases that will be handled by Morales'  uccessor are the continuing probe into the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam, cases related to the Mamasapano clash of 2015 and allegations of corruption at the Department of Tourism.

READ: High-profile cases for the next ombudsman