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By Jomar Canlas, Reporter
TWO justices and a Cabinet
official are the top contenders for a vacancy in the Supreme Court.
Court insiders said Presiding
Justice Ruben Reyes of the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan Presiding
Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro and Labor Secretary Arturo Brion
are the frontrunners for the seat to be vacated by Associate Justice
Romeo Callejo, who will retire on April 28.
Influential religious groups
Iglesia ni Cristo and El Shaddai had backed Reyes as presiding
justice in the appellate court. But Reyes could encounter a problem
because he will be retiring in January 2009.
De Castro, who is handling the
plunder trial of former President Joseph Estrada, is reportedly
supported by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. Sources say that
she should have joined the SC earlier but the Estrada trial delayed
her appointment. De Castro is the only remaining member in the
Sandiganbayan Special Division handling the case.
Brion has direct access to
Malacanang and was reportedly backed by SC Justice Renato Corona.
But he is an outsider and could face opposition from the career
magistrates who are also waiting in the wings.
But some observers said Brion was
a former CA associate justice before being given the labor
portfolio.
The President’s last appointee
to the Supreme Court, former Solicitor General Antonio Eduardo
Nachura, was also an outsider.
Aside from De Castro, Brion and
Reyes, the other applicants to the Supreme Court are CA Justices
Conrado Vasquez Jr., Portia Alino-Hormachuelos, Martin Villarama,
Andres Reyes, Edgardo Cruz and Teresita Dy Liacco-Flores. From the
Sandiganbayan the applicants are Justices Edilberto Sandoval,
Gregory Ong and Francisco Villaruz. Also applying is Court of Tax
Appeals Presiding Justice Ernesto Acosta.
The Judicial and Bar Councl will
make a shortlist from the 12 applicants. Traditionally, the JBC
sends five names President Arroyo.
The SC will also make three
choices and send them to the JBC.
The JBC is headed by Chief
Justice Reynato Puno, with the following ex-officio members: Justice
Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Senator Francis Pangilinan, Rep. Simeon
Datumanong with four regular members composed of J. Conrado
Castro, retired SC Justice Regino Hermosisima, Dean Amado Dimayuga
and retired Justice Raoul Victorino.
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