Twenty vie for SC Justice Tijam's seat

MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council has received a total of 20 applications for a seat at the Supreme Court.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, a JBC member by virtue of his position, gave the list of applicants for the position to be vacated by Associate Justice Noel Tijam next year:

• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Manuel Barrios
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Bato Jr.
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr.
• Sandiganbayan Presiding  Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Rosemari Carandang
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Cruz
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Stephen Cruz
• Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Efren de la Cruz
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Edgardo delos Santos
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Garcia
• De La Salle law vice dean Rita Linda Jimeno
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Mario Lopez
• SC Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Eduardo Peralta Jr.
• Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alex Quiros
• Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario
• Davao Regional Trial Court judge Virginia Tehano-Ang
• Former Ateneo law dean Cesar Villanueva

The JBC closed its applications on Monday, November 5.

Tijam is due to retire from the SC on Jan. 5, 2019. He is President Rodrigo Duterte’s second appointee to the high court.

There remain two vacancies at the SC, as the JBC has yet to release a shortlist on the applications for the seat vacated by Teresita De Castro when she was appointed as Associate Justice, and when she retired as chief justice.

The Council is also expected to release a shortlist for nominees for the chief justice position.

The JBC has received five applications for the top judge post: Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Andres Reyes Jr.