MANILA — Close to 3,500 applicants are vying for the position of judges in local courts and Associate Justice in the Supreme Court (SC), Court of Appeals (CA) and Sandiganbayan.
The vacancies were due to the forthcoming retirement of SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco on August 8 and the appointment of Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alexander Gesmundo to the SC in August last year as well as the retirement of CA Associate Justices Leoncia R. Dimagiba, Melchor Quirino Sadang, Romeo F. Barza and Florito S. Macalino.
In its final deliberation, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) declared 118 positions open for the Regional Trial Courts (RTC) and Municipal Trial Courts (MTC), particularly in Regions 1 (Ilocos), 3 (Central Luzon) and 4 (Calabarzon).
JBC said a total of 3,436 applicants are vying for said positions but only 499 names have been nominated and submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte.
On Friday, the JBC has opened the nomination for SC Associate Justice which was vacated by newly-appointed Ombudsman Samuel Martires. Martires has filed for an early retirement which was granted by the High Court’s en banc after he was chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales whose term ended on July 26.
The JBC, in its announcement, said applications or recommendations with letter of acceptance and other documentary requirements must be submitted on or before September 3.
The rules require applicants to submit documentary requirements, including their complete sworn statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) for the previous years.
All applicants must also submit the results of their medical examinations that they took within the past six months.
The JBC is constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees to the President for vacant posts in the judiciary and the Offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman.
The JBC is chaired by Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio with Senator Richard Gordon and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali on sharing term, and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra as ex-officio members. (Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
