Three Supreme Court associate justices appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte and two appointed by the late President Benigno Aquino III are considered “preferred candidates” being invited by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to seek the soon-to-be-vacant Chief Justice post.
According to SC spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting, the five justices are Marvic Leonen, Benjamin S. Caguioa, Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and Rodil V. Zalameda.
Of the five, Leonen and Caguioa were appointed by Aquino, while Hernando, Inting, and Zalameda were named to the high court by Duterte.
Ting explained that the JBC’s designation of the five as “preferred candidates” should not be taken to mean that they have already been formally nominated for the position.
“To be accurate, the JBC referred to them as preferred candidates and invited them to apply,” Ting said.
The JBC is constitutionally mandated to screen applicants and nominees and submit a shortlist to the President for vacancies in the judiciary.
The JBC began accepting applications and nominations on Aug. 29 for the post that will be vacated by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Nov. 6, 2026.
Applicants and nominators have until 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 to submit the required documents.
Gesmundo’s retirement will create the first Chief Justice vacancy under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Gesmundo himself was appointed to the SC by Duterte in August 2017 and was elevated to Chief Justice by the former president in April 2021.#