Malacanang defends Aquino over remarks on JBC shortlist

MALACANANG defended on Saturday President Benigno Aquino III who expressed dissatisfaction over the shortlist of nominees for the Chief Justice's post that the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) submitted to him.

In an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that Aquino was just being "frank and honest" on what he felt regarding the JBC shortlist.

"Well, the President as like any citizen is also free to express his view on certain matters that confront the country. And he was asked. You know how frank and honest the President is, he will answer," she said.

Senator Edgardo Angara reportedly said that Aquino should not have questioned the list of applicants for the chief magistrate that the JBC has forwarded to his office.

He has said that the President should instead just choose from the list of eight nominees, which the JBC prepared.

Valte said like what Aquino had mentioned, he would select the successor of ousted Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona from the JBC shortlist even if he was not happy with the names included on the list.

"The President mentioned yesterday (that) he will pick from the list. There are no indications that he will not, in fact, he said yesterday that 'the Constitution requires that I pick from that list.' So we're settled on that," Valte said.

Aquino has admitted that he was not satisfied on the JBC shortlist. He made the admission after Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who was perceived to be his bet for the Chief Justice's post, was not included in the list because of her disbarment cases. (SDR/Sunnex)