By Benjamin Pulta/PNA
MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has announced the results of its voting on the list of 19 applicants vying for the post to be vacated by Associate Justice Noel Tijam who will retire from the service on January 5.
Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said leading the vote is Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Manuel Barrios with seven votes.
Other CA Justices who came in at second spot are Ramon Bato and Ramon Garcia who got six votes. Marquez got six votes as well.
Aside from Barrios, Bato and Garcia, other CA justices vying for the post are Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Cruz, Stephen Cruz, Edgardo delos Santos, Japar Dimaampao, Ramon Garcia, Mario Lopez, Amy Lazaro-Javier, Eduardo Peralta Jr. and Ricardo Rosario.
Meanwhile, those from the Sandiganbayan are Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justices Efren Dela Cruz and Alex Quiroz.
Centro Escolar Vice Dean Rita Linda Jimeno and former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar L. Villanueva and Tagum, Davao RTC Judge Virginia Tehano-Ang are also in the list.
The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will prepare a shortlist of nominees to the President.
The JBC is presently chaired by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, with ex-officio members, namely Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Senator Richard Gordon and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Salvador Leachon.
Retired SC Justice Jose Catral-Mendoza is the head of the Executive Committee while lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and retired judge Toribio Ilao, representing the private sector, serve as other regular members of the JBC.
