Live media coverage of interview for SC bets allowed

THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) decided Monday to allow the live media coverage of its two-day public interviews of candidates to fill up the lone slot in the 15-member Supreme Court (SC).
 
The lone vacancy in the High Court stemmed from the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice last August 24 following the ouster of Renato Corona after his conviction at the Senate impeachment court.

Scheduled for interview at 9 a.m. Tuesday 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 -- were already been interviewed in July 2012 when they were vying for the Chief Justice position.
 
Coming from the regular en banc meeting of the JBC, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the council members decided to overturn its initial decision to again close the interviews from live media broadcast solely on the ground that there was then no request from any media organization to open the interview to the public.
 
"Wala kasi nag-signify ng interest from the media networks. If media would indeed express or manifest interest to have live coverage of the interview then yes, but subject to the same rule, to the same procedure as before na isa lang camera ang pwede i-set up sa loob, at bahala na ang interesado na maghook up," she said.
 
She said the move is in response to the "heightened interest and awareness" of the public as to the qualifications of candidates to the highest court in the land.

Last week, the Supreme Court Appointments Watch (Scaw), an alliance of several court watchers, wrote the JBC requesting it to allow anew the media broadcast of the interviews, in view of the positive public reception to the broadcast of the interview on then chief justice aspirants.
 
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)