The Judicial and Bar Council has transmitted to Malacañang its shortlist of 37 nominees aspiring for the six new posts in the Sandiganbayan created by the law signed by President Benigno Aquino last April expanding the powers of the anti-graft court.
During its session on Monday, the seven-member counsel mandated to screen nominees to posts in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman voted the final candidates to assume the two new divisions from a total of 90 applicants.
The JBC concurrently chaired by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno transmitted to the Office of the President six different shortlists where President Aquino will choose the appointees who will join the 15 current magistrates of the Sandiganbayan.
Included in the first shortlist for the position of the 16th associate justice of the Sandiganbayan are regional trial court Judges Philip Aguinaldo, Reynaldo Alhambra, Danilo Cruz, Benjamin Pozon, Danilo Sandoval and Salvador Timbang Jr.
For the 17th associate justice post, the JBC nominated Judges Maryann Corpuz-Mañalac, Ma. Theresa Mendoza–Arcega and Andres Soriano, Assistant Solicitor-General Ma. Antonia Edita Dizon and Senate Blue Ribbon committee secretary Rodolfo Noel Quimbo.
The third shortlist for the 18th post includes Judges Celso Baguio, Ma. Teresa De Guzman–Alvarez, Bernelito Fernandez, Elvira Panganiban and Fernando Sagun Jr. and Sereno’s staff Zaldy Trespeses.
For the 19th post, the nominees are Judges Frances Guanzon, Marissa Macaraig–Guillen, Vilma Pauig and Ruben Reynaldo Roxas, Assistant Solicitor-General Renan Ramos and Palace Undersecretary Reynaldo Cruz.
Shortlisted in the fifth shortlist for the 20th post are Assistant Solicitor General Karl Miranda, Judges Perpetua Atal–Paño, Thelma Bunyi– Medina, Luisito Cortez, Geraldine Fiel–Macaraig and Angeline Mary Quimpo–Sale and Ombudsman director Bayani Jacinto.
The final shortlist for the 21st post includes Judges Wilhelmina Jorge- Wagan, Garaldine Faith Econg, Rosanna Fe Romero-Maglaya, Merianthe Pacita Zuraek and Victoria Fernandez–Bernardo and Palace Undersecretary for special concerns Michael Frederick Musngi.
The six Sandiganbayan posts were created by the passage of Republic Act 10660 or An Act Strengthening the Functional and Structural Organization of the Sandiganbayan, which was signed by President Aquino last April 16.
The Sandiganbayan, which resolves cases of corruption against government officials, originally had three divisions until it expanded to five divisions of three members each in March 1995.
Under the new law, there will now be a total of seven divisions with three members each or a total of 21 justices in the anti-graft court.
Currently, all 15 posts are filled. The most junior member is Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, who was appointed last May to replace dismissed Senior Justice Gregory Ong.
Apart from expanding the composition of the anti-graft court, R.A. 10660 also amended the decades-old three-vote rule among justices in a division, where rulings will only be considered valid if there is unanimity among the magistrates.
In cases of even a single dissent, a special division of five justices is automatically created under the previous rule. Under the new law, however, all it takes is for two jurists to agree on a case.
“The concurrence of a majority of the members of a division shall be necessary to render a judgment, decision or final order, or to resolve interlocutory or incidental motions,” read Section 5 of the new Sandiganbayan law.
Sereno chairs the JBC, which is constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees to the President for vacant posts in the judiciary and the Ombudsman office, with Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and Justice Secretary Benjamin Caguioa as ex-officio members.
The regular members apart from Mejia are retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, of the retired SC justices sector; retired Court of Appeals Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman, representing the private sector, and lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.