Ten Supreme Court (SC) justices yesterday endorsed to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) the nomination of their colleague, Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, as the next Chief Justice.
Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio confirmed the voting done by the SC as a full court and its endorsement.
Carpio, who assumed the Chief Justice post since ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno took her indefinite leave of absence from the top judicial post last March, also said Justices Teresita J. Leonardo de Castro and Diosdado M. Peralta got nine votes while Justice Andres B. Reyes Jr. got two votes.
Carpio had earlier declined his automatic nomination and those given by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and former Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr.
The JBC – the constitutional office that accepts, screens and nominates appointments to the judiciary – is set to meet this Friday to vote and finalize its nominees.
It is from the list of nominees that would be submitted by the JBC that President Duterte would select who he would appoint as the new Chief Justice.
The President has 90 days from June 19, the finality of the SC decision that ousted Sereno, to name a replacement. (Rey Panaligan)
