The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) is set to interview 24 applicants for two vacancies in the Court of Appeals (CA) and one vacancy in the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA). 

In a four-page announcement, the JBC announced that it has set six days to interview 24 applicants to fill up the vacancy left behind by CA Associate Justices Gabriel Ingles who compulsory retired last Feb. 27 and Edgardo Camello who compulsory retired last May 19; and for CTA Associate Justice Juanito Castaneda Jr. who would compulsory retire on June 24.

Among the 24 applicants is Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81 Judge Madonna Echiverri who is the wife of Office of the President (OP) Deputy Executive Assistant for Internal Audit Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri.

To be interviewed on June 7 for both the CA and CTA positions are applicants Judge Echiverri, Makati City RTC Branch 62 Judge Selma Alaras; Carmona Cavite RTC Branch 109 Judge Niven Canlapan; QC RTC Branch 82 Judge Lyn Ebora-Cacha, and Alaminos City, Pangasinan RTC Branch 54 Judge Arginald Julius Esguerrra.

On June 13, the following are applicants who would be interviewed for the position of CA associate justices. They are La Carlota City, Negros Occidental RTC Branch 63 Judge Cyclamen Fernandez; Supreme Court (SC) Deputy Clerk of Court Corazon Ferrer-Flores; Batangas City RTC Branch 84 Judge Dorcas Ferriols-Perez; and Lingayen Pangasinan RTC Branch 37 Judge Rixon Garong. 

While QCRTC Branch 104 Judge Catherine Manodon is applying to both the CA and CTA vacancies. 

On June 15, the following would be interviewed by the JBC for the CA and CTA vacancies. They are Makati City RTC Branch 3 Judge Robert Victor Marcon; Mandaluyong City RTC Branch 281 Judge Ermin Ernest Louie Miguel; Marikina City RTC Branch 273 Judge Romeo Tagra; and Pasay City RTC Branch 118 Judge Rowena Nieves Tan.

The next day, June 16, the Council will interview Marlon Agaceta of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) who is aspiring a judicial post in the CTA; and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) General Counsel Maria Antonette Brillantes-Bolivar who is applying to the CA.

On June 20, three applicants are lined up to be interviewed for the CA post namely Balanga, Bataan RTC Branch 92 Judge Gener Gito; Department of Justice (DOJ) Senior State Counsel Rosario Laborte-Cuevas; and Makati City RTC Branch 137 Judge Ethel Mercado-Gutay; and one applicant for both the CA and CTA positions, Mandaluyong City RTC Branch 279 Judge Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar. 

On June 21, three applicants for CA would face the JBC namely Mambusao, Capiz RTC Branch 20 Judge Judith Orendain-Tonogbanua; Manila RTC Branch 55 Judge Josefina Siscar; and private lawyer Nenita Tuazon. While private lawyer Mark Anthony Tamayo would be interviewed for the CTA vacancy. 

All their interviews would be conducted at the SC’s Session Hall except for the June 16 scheduled interviews that would be done at the CA’s Auditorium.

The JBC would also consider 12 candidates, who were previously interviewed for the judicial positions and whose interviews remain valid. (Glen Jacob Jose)