CA justice leads list for SC vacancy

THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has released the shortlist of the applicants qualified to be appointed to the post to be vacated by Associate Justice Jose Perez in the Supreme Court.

The council, in its decision released Friday, has chosen four Court of Appeals (CA) Justices and one Sandiganbayan Justice.

Top of the list with seven votes is CA Justice Jose Reyes.

CA Justices Japar Dimaampao, Apolinario Bruselas and Sandiganbayan Justice Samuel Martires obtained five votes each, while CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes got four votes.

Public Attorney's Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta was not included on the shortlist.

Associate Justice Perez will retire on Dec. 14 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

The JBC, meanwhile, has set a separate voting on the post to be vacated by Justice Arturo Brion to next Friday, Dec. 9.

Brion will retire on December 29.

The legal luminaries to replace the two retiring magistrates will be the first two appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte in the Supreme Court.

The seven-man council, which is constitutionally mandated for screen and vet nominees to the President, is chaired by Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.