Judiciary Leadership Transition: JBC Invites Senior Justices for Chief Justice Post

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has invited the five most senior associate justices of the Supreme Court (SC) to apply for the chief justice post, which will be vacated by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo upon his retirement in November. "Since the early 2000s, the JBC has followed the practice of inviting the five most senior associate justices to apply for the chief justice post as a matter of courtesy and in recognition of their seniority," SC spokesperson Camille Sue Mae L. Ting told reporters. "What began as an informal practice has since become a standing JBC policy." The invited magistrates are Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and Rodil V. Zalameda, Ms. Ting said. The JBC opened applications and nominations for the post on Saturday, with submissions due on Oct. 13. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will choose Mr. Gesmundo’s successor after the chief justice reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 in November. The appointment will give Mr. Marcos his second selection for the top judicial post and his second appointment to the high court overall, following the appointment of Associate Justice Raul B. Villanueva in 2025. Mr. Marcos is also expected to fill another vacancy in November when Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier retires. The leadership transition has prompted calls for the next chief justice to focus on transparency, court efficiency and access to justice. Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, senior research fellow at the Ateneo Policy Center, said the Judiciary should consider livestreaming Sandiganbayan proceedings to improve public access and strengthen accountability. "I know the hearings are open to the public," he said via Facebook Messenger. "What I mean is livestreaming the hearings on social media." He said broader public access to proceedings could deter corruption and reduce opportunities for improper influence in court cases. "First, livestreaming can be an effective deterrent," Mr. Yusingco said. "Second, it will prevent any backroom deal-making in the court." He added that the reform would require technology investments and privacy safeguards but said those challenges should not prevent implementation. Ederson DT. Tapia, a political science professor at the University of Makati, said the next chief justice should build on reforms in digitalization, court administration and access to justice while delivering more visible improvements at the trial-court level. "The challenge is to make these reforms more deeply felt by ordinary court users," he said via Messenger. He said priorities should include reducing case backlogs, improving case management and expanding access to legal assistance. "The next chief justice should therefore focus on reducing case congestion, improving case management, strengthening access to legal assistance and ensuring that technology actually results in faster and more efficient justice," he said. Mr. Tapia said the next chief justice should combine integrity and independence with administrative capability and the ability to build consensus within the Judiciary. "The state of justice cannot be measured only by what happens at Padre Faura," he said, referring to the Supreme Court’s headquarters. He added that reforms should be evaluated based on measurable improvements in case resolution and the experience of litigants and lawyers in lower courts. "Digitalization is important, but technology is only a tool," Mr. Tapia said. "The real measure is whether justice has become more accessible, less burdensome, more predictable and more timely."