Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)— The search for the next Supreme Court (SC) associate justice is on.
The first four candidates for the post faced the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) panel Thursday morning (January 7).
They were University of Manila Dean Joe Santos Bisquerra, Justice Sec. Alfredo Benjamin-Caguioa, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, and CIBAC party-list Rep. Cinchona Cruz-Gonzales.
Also up for interview on Thursday were Deputy Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera, Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr., CA Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Cristina Cornejo.
The JBC panel is also scheduled to interview on Friday (January 8) CA Associate Justice Stephen Cruz, Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, Quezon City RTC Judge Reynaldo Daway, CA Associate Justice Mariflor Castillo-Punzalan, Commission on Audit Chair Maria Gracia Pulido-Tan, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alex Quiroz, CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr., and CA Associate Justice Jose Reyes Jr.
Interviewing the candidates are some of the country’s top legal minds and respected citizens from the private sector.
The JBC panel is composed of retired SC Justices representative Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) representative Maria Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, Aurora Lagman from the private sector, and the Justice department’s Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Menardo Guevarra, representing the Justice secretary who is also a nominee for the post.
Justice secretary grilled
Of the four candidates during the morning session, the panel grilled Caguioa the longest.
Caguioa, who served as presidential chief legal counsel was also Aquino’s former classmate.
Cayosa asked Caguioa to comment on a letter sent by a certain Ricardo questioning Department Order 911. The order designated powers to Associate Immigration Commissioner Gilbert Repizo, making him the de facto immigration commissioner.
Caguioa stood by his order. He said it’s valid and correct. Caguioa also vowed he’ll be independent should he be appointed as SC associate justice.
Notwithstanding, he defended President Benigno Aquino III over the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) controversy.
He said the president should not be charged for the DAP mess because of the operative fact doctrine and it was done in good faith. The Justice secretary added that the president was not the author of the program.
And despite being a candidate for the SC post, Caguioa said he disagrees wit the high court ruling on the DAP.
On the issue on the South China Sea, Caguioa said the arbitration case filed by the country is more than just a piece of paper for enforcement — but it becomes a rally point for everybody who believes in the rule of law.
Asked how the country will reinforce the ruling in the event it wins, Caguioa said he’ll discuss it with the president.
But he emphasized that it will empower small countries through the rule of law, and encourage treasuries to equalize things for the weak against strong countries in terms of economy.
Villarama leaves SC post
SC Associate Justice Martin Villarama applied for an optional retirement.
This would give Aquino an opportunity to choose his sixth appointee at the high court.
Villarama sought the approval of his colleagues for his optional retirement effective January 16. He is supposed to retire on April 14, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Villarama cited his deteriorating health condition brought about by his double-knee metal implantation in 2013 and his cataract operation last year.
In his letter to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and other associate justices, he told his colleagues in the high tribunal that he has been experiencing difficulty in breathing, hypertension, and symptoms of prostate illness prevalent among aging men.
Earlier there were reports claiming that Villarama was being pressured to resign by Malacañang to give way to Aquino to appoint another magistrate before he steps down from office.
Villarama denied the report.
