MANILA, Philippines — Two senior justices of the Supreme Court (SC) were not included in the list of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) as nominees to become the next chief justice despite invitations for them to apply.
The names of SC Associate Justices Ramon Paul Hernando and Henri Jean Paul Inting did not appear in the JBC’s list of five SC justices who would undergo public panel interviews in the next two weeks.
Hernando and Inting, along with SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa and Rodil Zalameda were “invited” by the JBC to apply for the position to be vacated by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo next month “as a matter of courtesy and in the recognition of their seniority,” according to earlier reports.
The late former president Benigno Aquino III appointed Leonen in November 2012 and Caguioa in January 2016, while former president Rodrigo Duterte chose Hernando in October 2018, Inting in February 2019 and Zalameda in August 2019.
The five candidates for chief justice are Leonen, Caguioa and Zalameda, as well as SC Associate Justices Japar Dimaampao and Jose Midas Marquez. The JBC is set to interview Leonen and Caguioa on Oct. 22, while the rest would be on Oct. 26.
Dimaampao and Marquez were also Duterte appointees in July and September 2021, respectively.
Former vice president and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo recommended Leonen to become the next chief justice, while the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament wanted Dimaampao appointed. Marquez secured the endorsements of both retired SC associate justice Arturo Brion and the Association of Retired Regional Trial Court Judges of the Philippines.
Gesmundo is set to retire on Nov. 6 when he reaches the age of 70. President Marcos is expected to choose the replacement within 90 days from retirement.
It would be the President’s third appointment to the SC following Associate Justice Raul Villanueva in June 2025 and his possible choice to take the place of outgoing Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier who will retire on Nov. 16.