CA confirms appointment of retired judge Toribio Ilao to second JBC term

The Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday confirmed the ad interim appointment of retired judge Toribio Ilao, Jr. to his second term in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

There were no objections to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III's motion for the commission to confirm Ilao's appointment to the JBC until July 9, 2024.

Ilao represents the private sector in the JBC, the body that screens applicants to posts in the judiciary and recommends candidates to the President, the appointing authority.

Ilao was first appointed to the JBC in 2016. Before that, he was a presiding judge at the Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court (RTC), and later at the Taguig RTC.

He was classmates with President Rodrigo Duterte at the San Beda College of Law. Ilao graduated from law school in 1972.

"Our appointee has distinguished himself as an upright dispenser of justice with vast knowledge of law and experience befitting someone who will screen and nominate candidates for important positions in our judiciary," Pimentel said.

"He has executed his tasks and obligations in an exemplary manner in the past four years," the senator said.

The JBC is currently chaired by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta.

Apart from Ilao, the council has three other regular members: retired Supreme Court (SC) justices Jose Mendoza and Noel Tijam, who represent retired SC justices and the academe, respectively; and retired judge Franklin Demonteverde, who represents the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Senator Richard Gordon, and Leyte 3rd District Representative Vicente Veloso III also sit in the council as ex-officio members.—AOL, GMA News