THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has shortlisted the candidates vying for the post to be vacated by Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Jose Mendoza.
Mendoza will retire this August 13 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Out of the 13 candidates screened by the JBC, only eight landed on the list.
Garnering the most votes are Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alexander Gezmundo with seven points.
CA Associate Justice Jose Reyes Jr. got six points from the seven-man tribunal.
Tying with four votes each are CA Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr. and Ramon Paul Hernardo and CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr.
Last on the list with four points each are CA Associate Justices Rosmari Declaro Carandang and Amy Lazaro-Javier.
The names will be submitted to the office of President Rodrigo Duterte pursuant to Article III Section 9 of the 1987 constitution.
The President has 90 days to choose who would replace Mendoza.
JBC, chaired by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, is mandated by the Constitution to screen and vet nominees in judiciary posts to Duterte. (SunStar Philippines)