Two more associate justices of the Supreme Court have accepted their nomination for the most coveted post in the judiciary, which was left vacant following the retirement of Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro last week.
The Judicial and Bar Council on Monday revealed that Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Andres Reyes Jr. have submitted their conforme formally accepting their nomination for top judicial post.
“The JBC received two new nominees for chief justice today—Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Andy Reyes,” JBC ex-officio member and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, in a text message.
Bernabe was automatically nominated for the post for being one of the five senior justices of SC, while Reyes was already nominated for the post after the ouster of chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
“I humbly accept my automatic nomination to the position of Chief Justice. I consider it a distinct honor to be nominated by the Court for this position together with my fellow senior Justices whom I deeply respect and admire,” Bernabe’s conforme stated.
This brought to five the number of candidates for chief justice post so far after the three most senior magistrates—Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Lucas Bersamin—earlier accepted their automatic nomination for the post.
The JBC earlier extended the Oct. 15 deadline for nominations for the chief justice post to Oct. 26.
The Constitution requires the chief justice, just like the associate justices, to be a natural-born citizen, at least 40 years old, with experience as judge or in private law practice for at least 15 years and a person with proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to appoint over 10 members of the High Court during his six-year term. He already appointed six justices so far—now Ombudsman Samuel Martires, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo, Jose Reyes Jr. and Ramon Paul Hernando.