6 CA justices in JBC shortlist for SC post

Six Court of Appeals justices and the vice dean of a law school were nominated by the Judicial and Bar Council yesterday to the lone vacancy next month in the 15-member Supreme Court.

Nominated were CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr. with seven votes; Associate Justices Rosmari Carandang and Jose Reyes Jr. with six votes each; Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr. and Japar Dimaampao and Centro Escolar University vice dean of law school Rita Linda Ventura-Jimeno with five votes each; and Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier with four votes.

The list of nominees was submitted to President Duterte who is expected, under the Constitution, to appoint within 90 days the replacement for SC Justice Bienvenido L. Reyes who is set to retire on July 6.

The President already has two appointees in the SC. They are Associate Justices Samuel Martires and Noel Tijam.

The JBC, with seven members, is mandated by the Constitution to accept, screen, and nominate appointments in the Judiciary and high officials in the Ombudsman.