Three out of five most senior SC magistrates vying for Chief Justice post

ONLY three out of five most senior associate justices (AJ) of the Supreme Court are vying for the Chief Justice (CJ) post that will be left vacant on March 27, 2021, with the early retirement option signified earlier by CJ Diosdado Peralta.

Both Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka confirmed that only three have completed the submission of the requirements to qualify for the post.

They are AJS Estela Perlas Bernabe, Alexander G. Gesmundo and Ramon Paul L. Hernando.

AJS Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, both appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III to the SC, did not submit their requirements, prompting the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to rule out their inclusion in the shortlist.

The JBC had set the deadline for the application for the CJ post until February 26, 2021.

The JBC, which is tasked to vet all applicants and nominees for vacancies in the judiciary and to shortlist the qualified candidates, originally set the deadline on February 15.

“Only three associate justices of the Supreme Court had submitted the documentary requirements in support of their nomination for the Chief Justice post :[ Associate] Justices Berna be, Ge sm undo, and hernando. no other persons applied,” Guevarra told reporters.

Gue var ra noted that justice s leon en and Caguiao did not submit any document that would indicate their desire to become the next chief magistrate.

“I could not speculate on the reason: Either [they’re] not really interested or unable to contemplate and submit all the requirements on time,” the justice secretary noted.

Guevarra is one of the ex-officio members of the JBC.

Hosaka said the three applicants would undergo public interview on March 10, 2021, by the JBC panel.

The deliberation on the shortlist for the CJ post, on the other hand, is scheduled on March 22, 2021, according to Guevarra.

Meanw hi le, gue var ra said the jbc has partly granted the recommendation of the SC to ease its rules and requirements for the justices vying for the CJ post.

“In part only, modified as to certain documentary requirements [e.g., dispense with swab test, other records already on file, etc.] rejected as to waiver of public interview,” Guevarra said.