JBC sets September 26 for SC associate justice interviews

MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court (SC) court administrator Jose Midas Marquez and seven associate justices of the Court of Appeals (CA), who are all vying for the position of SC associate justice, will be interviewed by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Sept. 26.

The SC associate justice post became vacant after President Duterte appointed Justice Samuel Martires as ombudsman last Aug. 6 replacing Conchita Carpio-Morales, whose seven-year term as ombudsman ended last July 26.

From 9 a.m. until noon of Sept. 26, the JBC has scheduled the public panel interview of Marquez, to be followed by CA Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Rosemari Carandang and Stephen Cruz.

From 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., it will be the turn of CA Associate Justices Edgardo Delos Santos, Japar Dimaampao, Ramon Paul Hernando and Mario Lopez to face the council members. 

Marquez rose from the ranks, starting his career as a legal researcher until he was the SC spokesman and in 2010 was appointed court administrator. He has been with the High Court since 1991. 

Cruz was one of the three CA associate justices who ordered the release of the six Ilocos Norte provincial government officials who were detained by the House of Representatives because they reportedly refused to answer questions of lawmakers during the investigation on the purchase of vehicles by the province using its P66.45-million share in tobacco excise taxes.

Aside from the eight SC associate justice applicants, the JBC said there were five other candidates for the said judicial position but their previous interviews are still considered valid. They are Oscar Badelles, Manuel Barrios, Ramon Garcia, Amy Lazaro-Javier and Virginia Tehano-Ang.

According to SC clerk of court and JBC ex-officio secretary Edgar Aricheta, the Sept. 26 public interview will be conducted at the SC main building’s Division Hearing Room.

“The public may submit a sworn complaint, report or opposition against any of the aforesaid candidates (a) by personal delivery or by mail to the JBC Second Floor, Centennial Building, SC, Padre Faura Street, Manila City; (b) by facsimile at telephone no. 02-552-96-07; or (c) by electronic mail to [email protected] and [email protected] not later than 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 24,” Aricheta said.