In view of incumbent Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin’s retirement on 18 October 2019, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has started the public panel interview with the nominees for the next Supreme Court (SC) chief justice. SC Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Jose Reyes Jr. were the very first nominees interviewed. If chosen as the next chief justice, Peralta aims to lessen case backlogs in the lower courts. Reyes, on the other hand, would focus on enhancing the the high court’s image through judicial education.
SC Associate Justices Andres Reyes Jr. and Estela Perlas-Bernabe are up later at 2:00 P.M. The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the President of the Philippines has 90 days beginning 18 October to choose the new SC leader.
