THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is set to interview 24 applicants vying for the position of Supreme Court associate justice to be vacated by Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo on his retirement on July 29.

Justices from the Court of Appeals (CA) dominated the list of applicants with 17 coming from the appellate court.

Scheduled for interview on June 21 are CA Justices Rodil V. Zalameda, Pablito A. Perez, Maria Filomena D. Singh and law professor Jeremy Benigno I. Gatdula.

CA Justices Elihu A. Ybañez, Oscar V. Badelles, Manuel M. Barrios, Ramon M. Bato, Jr., Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr., and Ramon A. Cruz are scheduled for interview on June 25. Also set for interview that day are Sandiganbayan Presiding Judge Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang and Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Lanee Cui-David.

Scheduled for interview on June 26 are CA Justices Stephen C. Cruz, Eduardo B. Peralta, Jr., Japar B. Dimaampao, Ramon R. Garcia, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Mario V. Lopez, Edgardo L. Delos Santos, and Ricardo R. Rosario, along with Sandiganbayan Justices Efren N. de la Cruz and Alex L. Quiroz, Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez, and former Ateneo law dean Cesar L. Villanueva.

The public is given until June 11 to submit any sworn complaint, report, or opposition against the candidates.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte recently appointed CA Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting to fill in the vacancy left by now Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin when he was appointed to the top post, completing the 15-seat tribunal.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR