10 vying for retiring Justice Tijam’s post

The Supreme Court (SC) is set to hold today, January 4, a retirement ceremony for Associate Justice Noel Gimenez Tijam who retires mandatorily on January 5.

Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin will lead the judiciary in honoring Tijam who was appointed to the court on March 8, 2017 by President Duterte.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has submitted to the President 10 nominees to Tijam’s post.

Nominated were Supreme Court Administrator and Spokesman Jose Midas P. Marquez, Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justices Manuel M. Barrios, Japar B. Dimaampao, Amy C. Lazaro Javier, Ramon A. Cruz, Ramon R. Garcia, Mario V. Lopez, and Apolinario D. Bruselas Jr.; Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang and former Ateneo de Manila University law dean Cesar L. Villanueva.

Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days from January 5 to appoint Tijam’s replacement from the list submitted by the JBC – the constitutional office that accepts, screens, and nominates appointments in the judiciary.

Whoever is appointed as Tijam’s replacement would be the President’s 10th appointee to the SC.

There still is another vacancy in the 15-member SC. This is the post vacated by Bersamin as associate justice when he was promoted chief justice. The JBC has opened the nominations and endorsements to the post.

Aside from Bersamin, three more SC justices are set to retire this year. They are Associate Justices Mariano C. del Castillo on July 29 and Francis H. Jardeleza on September 26 and Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio on October 26.