Comelec official, COA chief seek SC post

MANILA, Philippines — With only six months to go before the national and local elections, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Antonio Kho is among those set to be interviewed by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for the post that will be vacated by Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang.

Another interviewee is Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo, a first-time applicant to an SC position.

Kho, Aguinaldo and Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh are scheduled to be interviewed on Dec. 6 for the post of Carandang, who will retire on her 70th birthday on Jan. 9, 2022.

Kho is a member of the Comelec’s Second Division that is hearing a petition to cancel the certificate of candidacy of presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The JBC said there are seven other applicants for Carandang’s post who would no longer be interviewed on Dec. 6 since their previous interviews are still considered valid.

They are CA Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Cruz and Ronaldo Roberto Martin; Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg; Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko and SC interim Court Administrator Raul Villanueva.

JBC ex-officio secretary Marife Lomibao-Cuevas said those who oppose any of the candidates may send a letter to the JBC or email to [email protected] not later than Nov. 29.