JBC opens search for next SC justice to succeed retiring Tijam

For the sixth time this year, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has opened another round of applications for a Supreme Court (SC) vacancy, this time for the seat to be vacated by retiring Associate Justice Noel Tijam.

The screening body announced Tuesday that it will accept applications, recommendations and requirements from aspiring High Court members until November 5. Tijam will retire on January 5, 2019.

The JBC currently has two other SC vacancies to recommend nominees to: an associate justice post and the chief justice seat, both vacated by outgoing chief magistrate Teresita Leonardo-De Castro.

De Castro will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Wednesday, October 10, after serving as chief justice for only a little over a month. The JBC will accept applications from top judge aspirants until October 15.

Recently, the JBC forwarded to President Rodrigo Duterte its shortlist of nominees for the judicial post left by retired justice Samuel Martires, who was appointed Ombudsman last July.

Meanwhile, the JBC will interview two candidates for the associate justice post vacated by De Castro on October 18.

They are Sandiganbayan Justice Alex D.L. Quiroz and lawyer Rita Linda Jimeno, who join 11 other applicants of mostly Court of Appeals (CA) justices whose previous JBC interviews are still valid.

LOOK: JBC announces October 18 interview of two candidates for Supreme Court associate justice post (to replace ex-associate and outgoing chief justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro) @gmanews pic.twitter.com/HCDbdHXCi7

— Nicole-Anne Lagrimas (@nclagrimas) October 9, 2018

So far in 2018, the JBC has opened applications for the following vacancies, with the corresponding status of the respective screening processes:

• Associate Justice, vice Presbitero Velasco, Jr., who retired in August.The vacancy was filled by former CA Justice Jose Reyes Jr..;
• Associate Justice, vice Martires, who was appointed Ombudsman. JBC shortlist was submitted to Duterte on October 1;
• Chief Justice, vice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was ousted by an SC majority vote. De Castro was appointed to take her place;
• Associate Justice, vice De Castro upon her assumption of chief justice seat. Interview of applicants set for October 18;
• Chief Justice, vice De Castro, who retires on October 10. Application period ends on October 15; and
• Associate Justice, vice Tijam, who retires on January 5. Application period ends on November 5

— MDM, GMA News