ShareThisMANILA -– The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), chaired by Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona decided not to extend the nomination period for the position of Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman post was vacated with the resignation of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez on April 29, 2011 that took effect on May 6, 2011.
SC Deputy Spokesperson Atty. Gleo Guerra said that the official list of candidates who are considered prima facie qualified for interview by the JBC for the Ombudsman post and their respective schedules of interview will be released this week.
Guerra added that under the JBC Rules, the list will be published in two newspapers of general circulation. It will also be posted on the JBC website.
Among the nominees for the Ombudsman post are Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro; SC Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales; former Senator Wigberto “Bobby” Tanada; Solicitor General Francisco Chavez; Dela Salle University Dean Jose Manuel Diokno; former Ambassador Roy Seneres; former Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Artemio Tuquero; Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol; Ombudsman Prosecutor Wilbert Candelaria; crusading lawyer Ernesto Francisco; Court of Appeals (CA) Executive Justice for the Visayas Portia Alino-Hormachuelos; human rights lawyer Arno Sanidad; law professor Francis Jardeleza, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Amelia Infante, lawyers Marlon Manuel, Alfredo Agawa, Pedro Aquino, Hubert Guevarra and Florencio Villarin.
Those who were nominated but declined the nomination were former SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno,DOJ Secretary Leila De Lima and human rights lawyer Harry Roque.