No media coverage in public interview of 12 SC aspirants

THERE will be no media coverage in the Judicial and Bar Council's public interview of applicants for the lone vacancy at the Supreme Court.

The eight-member constitutional body earlier scheduled the public interviews of 12 candidates on October 23 and 25 in the division room of the Supreme Court.

"It was just agreed upon in the October 1 meeting of the JBC members. So, there will be no need for media accreditation any more. You just have to go thru security checking," said lawyer Anne Capacity, executive officer of the JBC.
 
Scheduled for interview on October 23 are Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Bato, Jr., former University of Perpetual Help Law Dean Jose-Santos B. Bisquera, CA Associate Justice Rosmari D. Carandang, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Maria Cristina J. Cornejo.
 
Former Regional Trial Court judge Adoracion P. Cruz-Avisado, CA Associate Justice Magdangal M. De Leon, CA Associate Justice Isaias P. Dicdican, former University of the Philippines Law Dean Marvic M. Leonen, former Department of Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla, CA Presiding Justice Andres B. Reyes, Jr., CA Associate Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr., and CA Associate Justice Noel G. Tijam will be interviewed on October 25.
 
The other three candidates – De La Salle University Law Dean Jose Manuel I. Diokno, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Teresita J. Herbosa, and former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar L. Villanueva – had already been interviewed in July 2012 when they were vying for the position of Chief Justice.
 
After the public interviews, the JBC is tasked to vote on the shortlist and prepare the list of nominees to be submitted to President Aquino for appointment. The President has 90 days to fill up the vacancy, commencing from Sereno’s date of appointment, which is on August 24, 2012. (JCV/Sunnex)