JBC shortlists 4 RTC Judges, Ombudsman Director as bets for Sandiganbayan Associate Justice
MANILA, Dec. 30 (PNA) – Four Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges and an Ombudsman Director were included in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) shortlist of candidates vacated by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Jose Hernandez who retired last November 16.
Included in the list were Makati RTC Judges Maryann Corpus-Manalac with seven votes; Judge Edgardo Caldona with six votes and Judge Honorio Guanlao Jr. with 4 votes; while Aparii, Cagayan RTC Judge Oscar Zaldivar got four votes to notch the shortlist from the JBC.
The only non trial court judge nominee who made it in the shortlist is Bayani Jacinto, a Director from the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Sandiganbayan have three vacancies in view of the retirement of Hernandez and the early retirement of Justice Napoleon Inoturan. On February 1, 2017, Justice Roland Jurado is also scheduled to step down for early retirement.
There are now seven divisions of the Sandiganbayan composed of one Presiding Justice and 20 Associate Justices.
The JBC is chaired by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal-Sereno, with two ex-officio members — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and legislative representatives Senator Richard Gordon and Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who shall have a term sharing seat in the JBC.
The regular members are retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, who heads the Executive Committee; lawyer Jose Mejia, representing the academe; lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; and retired Judge Toribio Ilao, representing the private sector. (PNA)
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