President’s allies join race for top Sandiganbayan position

THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will start screening applicants, including several Malacañang allies, for the position of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice. The chosen candidate will replace Francisco Villaruz who retires on June 9.

Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Teresita Diaz-Baldoz and Alex Quiroz have indicated their intentions to be the next chief of the anti-graft court. Associate Presiding Justice Apolinario Bruselas of the Court of Appeals and Judge Arthur Abudiente of the Regional Trial Court, Misamis Oriental, have also filed their applications.