President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Noel Tijam as regular member of the Judicial and Bar Council.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, ex-officio vice chairman of the council, said Wednesday that Tijam, who retired from the judiciary in January, takes the place of lawyer Jose Mejia as representative of the academe in the seven-member council tasked to vet nominees to judicial posts.
His appointment completes the composition of the JBC chaired by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin with Guevarra and Senator Richard Gordon as ex-officio members.
The other regular members of the council are retired SC Justice Jose Mendoza, lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and retired Judge Toribio Ilao from the private sector.