InterAksyon columnist Teddyboy Locsin among 14 nominees to Chief Justice post

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines – Former Makati congressman, broadcast journalist, and InterAksyon.com opinion writer Teodoro 'Teddy Boy' Locsin Jr. is one of 14 nominees to replace former Chief Justice Renato Corona, according to the list held by the Judicial and Bar Council.

Lawyer Brigido Dulay and Jonathan De La Cruz, president of Abakada party list and convenor of Clean Hands Movement, nominated the former congressman from Makati.

Locsin served as a spokesman and speechwriter of the late President Corazon Aquino. He received his law degree from the Ateneo De Manila University and his Masters of Laws from Harvard University. He was publisher of the defunct Today newspaper.

“Mr. Locsin is an extraordinary lawyer and an extraordinary man. His combination of intellect, integrity, probity, independence, and vast experience will make him an outstanding Supreme Court Chief Justice,” Dulay and the Clean Hands Movement said in their nomination.

14 nominees

In a related development, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the Senate representative to the JBC, said there are now 14 nominees to the position of chief justice. He said the council is still accepting nominees at this time.

He also said “age doesn’t matter” in the nominations of both Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Jacinto-Henares and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

“If either of them were appointed, mas mahaba-habang panahon na maisasagawa ang gustong reporma sa judiciary (they would have time enough to institute the reforms in the judiciary),” Escudero told reporters at the weekly Kapihan sa Senado.

In any case, the appointment will finally rest on the President.

Escudero, ex-oficio JBC member as chairman of Senate committee on justice and human rights, said the council has set the tentative deadline for accepting nominations on June 18, Monday. He said the JBC would then publish the names to get the public reaction.

The JBC set the deadline for having the short list on July 15.

This way, “the President would have enough time to study the list, talk to them. We are required by law to submit the list soonest and the chief executive has at least 15 days to study the candidate until appointed,” Escudero said.

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