SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
MANILA, Philippines – The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has opened the nomination for the vacant seat left by dismissed Sandiganbayan Justice Gregory Ong.
The JBC, which vets nominees to judicial posts, announced on Sunday, October 26, that the deadline for the filing of nominations and applications is on November 6 and for the submission of required documents on November 21.
After this, the council will screen the nominees through public interviews and background checking.
The law requires a justice of the anti-graft court to be natural-born citizen, at least 40 years of age and to have at least 10 years experience as a judge or of law practice.
He or she is also required to have probity, integrity and independence.
The anti-graft court is currently handling the biggest corruption cases in recent history involving 3 Philippine senators accused of siphoning off their pork barrel funds to fake non-governmental organizations.
Ong’s dismissal is related to these cases.
The Supreme Court dismissed him in September over his links to alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. He was the first justice of the anti-graft court to be sacked.
In its ruling that became final last week, the SC declared Ong guilty of gross misconduct, dishonesty and impropriety for violating the New Code of Judicial Conduct when he met Napoles twice after acquitting her in a case involving the sale of 500 Kevlar helmets to the Philippine Marines in 1998.
The High Court also forfeited his retirement benefits, except accrued leave credits and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government service.
CA vacancy
The JBC also opened the selection process for a vacancy in the Court of Appeals (CA) for the retirement of Associate Justice Vicente Veloso on January 7, 2015.
Under the law, the President has to appoint the new justices in the Sandiganbayan and CA within 90 days from receipt of the separate shortlists from the JBC.
The JBC is chaired by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, with Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as ex-officio members. The regular members are lawyer Jose Mejia, representing the academe; retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, representing retired justices; retired CA Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman, representing the private sector; and lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. – Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.