A member of the Judicial and Bar Council aspiring for the associate justice post in the Court of Tax Appeals is facing possible disqualification due to non-disclosure of pending administrative cases against her.
In an order, the JBC required lawyer Milagros Cayosa, JBC member representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, to explain why she should not be disqualified for her failure to disclose her pending cases before the Supreme Court.
The seven-man council tasked to screen nominees to judicial posts gave Cayosa three days from receipt of notice to comply with its order issued last April 26.
In particular, the JBC directed Cayosa to explain why she did not disclose two pending cases against her in the personal data sheet she submitted with her application for the CTA vacancies left by the retirement of Associate Justices Lovell Bautista and Caesar Casanova.
“In the meeting of the Executive Committee (Execom) of the Judicial and Bar Council yesterday, one of the JBC Regular Members pointed out that non-disclosure of the following administrative matters in Your Honor’s Personal Data Sheet (PDS) notarized on 31 Januaary 2019, which was submitted to the JBC in connection with your application for the position of Court of Tax Appeals Associate Justice,” read the JBC order signed by executive officer Atty. Annaliza Ty-Capacite.
Among the administrative cases which Cayosa did not disclose were Administrative Matter No. 17-11-12 SC, A.M. No. 17-11-17-SC and A.M. No. 18-04-17-SC.
The said cases involve the complaints of then House Justice Committee Chairman Rep. Reynaldo Umali and senatorial candidate Larry Gadon for Cayosa’s failure to fulfill her mandate in screening ousted chief justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno despite the fact that she has incomplete submission of her Statements of Assets Liabilities and Networth.
Cayosa is also facing another complaint filed by SC Justice Diosdado Peralta over the selection process for the position of Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals (CA), after the JBC disqualified his wife, CA Justice Fernanda Lampas-Peralta, without due process.
Earlier, Gadon opposed the application of Cayosa for alleged lack of “proven competence, integrity, probity and independence” which are key qualifications for the CTA justice position.
He accused Cayusa of lying when she testified during the impeachment hearings against Sereno in the House of Representatives when she claimed that Sereno complied with the SALN requirement during her application for the chief justice post in 2012.