The country’s next Chief Justice who will be appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should not only possess competence and integrity but should be acceptable to the public, a Palace official said Tuesday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said the perceived closeness of any Supreme Court nominee to the President is just a “secondary issue” in the selection process.

The Supreme Court earlier upheld the authority of the President to appoint a new Chief Justice despite an election ban on government appointments. The SC decision has triggered protests from some groups that preferred the next President to make such appointment.

“The first quality that will be considered is the competence of the prospective appointee to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. When the name is revealed, the public would be free to judge the wisdom of the President’s decision at that point,” Olivar said.

“One of the things that will be considered by the President is to ensure that her decision is acceptable and supported by the majority based on merit,” he added.

The President is now waiting for the SC decision to become final and executory before she picks the successor of Chief Justice Reynato Puno from a list that will be submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

The JBC, a constitutional body assigned to screen and recommend SC nominees, is scheduled to convene on April 5 to determine who will succeed Puno.

Olivar said the JBC shortlist may include sitting magistrates, as well as persons from outside the judicial body.

On the petition filed by six Nacionalista Party (NP) senatorial candidates seeking to reverse the SC ruling on the President's appointing powers, Olivar said the Palace respects their freedom to protest the decision.

Olivar, however, could not help but connect the protest by opposition candidates in their attempt to propel their campaign in the May polls.

“They belong to one of the opposition parties so their action is certainly understandable within the context of campaign politics. But having said that, I think we should grant that they have the right to have different opinions as well and if they feel strong enough about their own opinions, they will go ahead and file such a motion,” he said.