SC completes membership, reorganizes 3 divisions

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has reorganized its three divisions with the completion of its 15-member composition.

With the appointment of Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting earlier this week, the High Court has likewise completed the membership of the three divisions.

Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin remains as chair of the First Division with Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo as working chairman and Associate Justices Francis Jardeleza, Alexander Gesmundo and Rosmari Carandang as members.

The Second Division is chaired by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio with Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Jose Reyes Jr. and Amy Lazaro-Javier as members.

Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta heads the Third Division with Associate Justices Marvic Leonen, Andres Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando and Inting as members.

Meanwhile, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has started its screening for a vacancy in the SC to be left by the retirement of Del Castillo in July.

The seven-member council tasked to screen candidates for judicial posts has received 22 nominees so far for the upcoming vacancy.

Court of Appeals justices lead the applicants who will try their luck to reach the highest court of the land.

The applicants include CA Justices Oscar Badelles, Ramon Bato Jr., Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Cruz, Stephen Cruz, Edgardo de los Santos, Japar Dimaampao, Ramon Garcia, Jhosep Lopez, Mario Lopez, Eduardo Peralta Jr., Ricardo Rosario, Rodil Zalameda, Elihu Ybanez, Maria Filomena Singh and Pablito Perez.

Two Sandiganbayan magistrates, Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Efren de la Cruz, have again applied for the SC vacancy.

SC Court Administrator Midas Marquez has also been nominated again.

Three outsiders from the judiciary – former Ateneo law dean Cesar Villanueva, Bureau of Internal Revenue deputy commissioner Lanee Cui-David and law professor Jeremy Gatdula – are also vying for the post.