MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council on Monday opened the applications and recommendation for the next Supreme Court associate justice, to take over the seat of Justice Andres Reyes Jr. who will retire in May. President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Reyes, a former justice of the Court of Appeals, to the high court in 2017. On January 11, the president appointed CA Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan to the SC, filling the spot vacated by Diosdado Peralta, the current chief justice. Gaerlan completed the fifteen seats the at the high court. The JBC also opened applications for Court of Appeals President Justice Romeo Barza who stepped down on August 2, 2019.

Source: Philippine Star January 20, 2020 03:33 UTC