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The Judicial Bar and Council on Monday arrived at a short list of 13 candidates for three vacancies in the Court of Appeals, with Quezon City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Ma. Luisa Padilla and Assistant Solicitor General Amparo Cabotaje Tang leading the pack.
The available posts were left by CA Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, who was promoted to the Supreme Court, and last year’s retirement of Justices Mario Guarina III and Rodrigo Lim Jr.
Tang got seven votes out of eight members of the JBC, chaired by Chief Justice Renato Corona, while Padilla received a unanimous vote from the council during Monday’s deliberations.
Despite Corona’s impeachment, this year’s first meeting of the JBC was smooth with two council members as part of the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial — Iloilo Rep. and House justice committee chair Niel Tupas Jr. and Justice Sec. Leila de Lima.
“Everything was normal... They had the agenda so they just went through the agenda. It was business as usual for the JBC,” SC spokesman Midas Marquez told reporters.
Five other JBC members present during the closed-door meeting were Senator Francis Escudero, lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, lawyer Jose Mejia from the academe, retired SC Justice Regino Hermosisima, and retired CA Justice Aurora Lagman.
Seven votes each
Also getting seven votes each were Manila City Prosecutor Jhoseph Lopez and Judges Severino De Castro (QC RTC) and Renato Francisco (Bulacan RTC), and SC lawyer Edgar Santos.
Getting six votes each were Judges Selma Alaras (Makati RTC), Henri Jean Inting (QC RTC), Ma. Filomena Singh (QC RTC) and Joselito Vibandor (Las Piñas) RTC.
Private lawyer Rochelle Dakanay-Galano and Judges Jonel Mercado (Pampanga RTC) and Erlina Nicolas-Alvaro (Las Pinas RTC) got five votes each.
A short list of three nominees for each vacant seat will be submitted to President Aquino, who has 90 days from the period of vacancy to appoint the new justices.
The available posts were left by CA Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, who was promoted to the Supreme Court, and last year’s retirement of Justices Mario Guarina III and Rodrigo Lim Jr.
Tang got seven votes out of eight members of the JBC, chaired by Chief Justice Renato Corona, while Padilla received a unanimous vote from the council during Monday’s deliberations.
Despite Corona’s impeachment, this year’s first meeting of the JBC was smooth with two council members as part of the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial — Iloilo Rep. and House justice committee chair Niel Tupas Jr. and Justice Sec. Leila de Lima.
“Everything was normal... They had the agenda so they just went through the agenda. It was business as usual for the JBC,” SC spokesman Midas Marquez told reporters.
Five other JBC members present during the closed-door meeting were Senator Francis Escudero, lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, lawyer Jose Mejia from the academe, retired SC Justice Regino Hermosisima, and retired CA Justice Aurora Lagman.
Seven votes each
Also getting seven votes each were Manila City Prosecutor Jhoseph Lopez and Judges Severino De Castro (QC RTC) and Renato Francisco (Bulacan RTC), and SC lawyer Edgar Santos.
Getting six votes each were Judges Selma Alaras (Makati RTC), Henri Jean Inting (QC RTC), Ma. Filomena Singh (QC RTC) and Joselito Vibandor (Las Piñas) RTC.
Private lawyer Rochelle Dakanay-Galano and Judges Jonel Mercado (Pampanga RTC) and Erlina Nicolas-Alvaro (Las Pinas RTC) got five votes each.
A short list of three nominees for each vacant seat will be submitted to President Aquino, who has 90 days from the period of vacancy to appoint the new justices.
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