President Benigno Aquino III has appointed Court of Appeals Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes as one of the occupants to the two vacancies in the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Renato Corona told reporters on Friday that Malacañang has transmitted to the Supreme Court Reyes' appointment papers for a vacant post.
With Reyes' appointment, only one seat remains vacant. Candidates for remaining post are Court of Appeals Justices Jose Reyes, Magdangal de Leon, Estela Bernabe, and Japar Dimaampao.
The five CA justices were on the shortlist of nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to the President last June, when two justices – Eduardo Nachura and Conchita Carpio-Morales – left the SC after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Because Nachura retired first, Reyes will occupy the seat he vacated. The next appointee will occupy the seat left by Morales, who was appointed Ombudsman last July.
The JBC is the constitutional body mandated to screen, vet, and recommend to the President nominees to vacant judicial posts and nominees to the positions of Ombudsman and deputy Ombudsman.
Aquino can only pick his appointees from the shortlist submitted by the JBC. — LB
