MANILA, Philippines –  Applicants for the Supreme Court took their essay-writing examination with the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on September 2 and 3 as a prior requirement to their panel interview with the JBC Executive Committee starting Friday, September 6.

The essay writing examination is a newly-introduced part of the JBC’s screening process for the Supreme Court wherein applicants are asked to write a mock ponente on cases inspired by true-to-life petitions.

In the last JBC essay writing exam, the applicants were tasked to write a mock ponente of the Jesus Falcis petition to legalize same-sex marriage in the Philippines. The Supreme Court just recently dismissed that petition on technical grounds.

The JBC is now screening applicants to replace Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, retiring September 26, and Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, retiring October 26.

Panel interviews

In the past, the JBC only asked for personal essays.

The answer in their essays will be further scrutinized in a panel interview conducted by the JBC’s executive committee led by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, retired Supreme Court justices Jose Mendoza and Noel Tijam, retired judge Toribio Ilao, and the newest member, retired judge Franklin Demonteverde.

The JBC has also started conducting the interviews panel-type as compared to before when applicants were interviewed one by one.

Among the applicants are returning aspirants Sandiganbayan Justices Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Efren dela Cruz and Alex Quiroz, as well as Court of Appeals Justices Japar Dimaampao, Apolinario Bruselas, and Manuel Barrios.

Court Administrator Midas Marquez also took the essay-writing examination.

Among the private lawyers applying for the two posts are former Ateneo Law dean Cesar Villanueva and law professor Jeremy Gatdula. Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Deputy Commissioner Lanee David, once a lawyer for Janet Napoles’ daughter Jeane, also took the examination.

Four sessions of interviews will be held with a total of 28 applicants on September 6, 9, 10, and 11.

President Rodrigo Duterte has started packing the Supreme Court with young appointees, some of whom will serve in the High Court long after his presidency is over. Duterte’s appointees have consistently voted for him in cases of interest to his administration.

– Rappler.com