Public interviews for 28 Supreme Court justice aspirants set

MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council set a four-day public interview for the 28 Supreme Court associate justice aspirants in September.

Two seats are set to open up at the high court, with Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza retiring on September 26 and Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on October 26.

The JBC received 28 applications from members of the Philippine Bar. Most of them came from appellate court justices.

The Council set their public interviews on September 6, 9, 10 and 11.

They will face the panel as follows:

September 6

• Davao City Regional Trial Court judge Carlos Espero II
• Court of Appeals Justice Samuel Gaerlan
• Sandiganbayan Justice Oscar Herrera Jr.
• CA Justice Edgardo Lloren
• CA Justice Edwin Sorongon
• Former Justice Undersecretary Manuel Antonio Teehankee

September 9

• Bureau of Internal Revenue deputy commissioner Lanee Cui-David 
• University of Asia and the Pacific School of Law professor Jeremy Benigno Gatdula
• Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez
• Former Ateneo Law School dean Cesar Villanueva
• CA Justice Oscar Badelles
• CA Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr.
• CA Justice Edgardo Delos Santos
• CA Justice Eduardo Peralta Jr.

September 10

• CA Justice Manuel Barrios
• CA Justice Jhosep Lopez
• CA Justice Pablito Lopez
• CA Justice Elihu Ybañez
• Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang
• Sandiganbayan Justice Efren De La Cruz
• Sandiganbayan Justice Alex Quiroz

September 11

• CA Justice Ramon Bato Jr.
• CA Justice Japar Dimaampao
• CA Justice Mario Lopez
• CA Justice Ricardo Rosario
• CA Justice Ramon Cruz
• CA Justice Ramon Garcia
• CA Justice Maria Filomena Singh

Eight out of the 15-member court were appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The president is also set to appoint the next head of the Judiciary as Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin retires on October 18.