BAGUIO CIT`Y – The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will wait for the Supreme Court to decide with finality the various motions for reconsideration (MRs) on the High Court’s March 17 ruling allowing President Arroyo to appoint the next Chief Justice before submitting its shortlist.

Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said the eight-man JBC came out with a position to first wait for SC to resolve the MRs with finality before submitting the shortlist.

However, the JBC will still proceed with the nomination process like the conduct of public interviews on all nominees by April 19 and April 20.

“Right now, there is no legal obstacle for us to continue the process. We are guided by the SC ruling that we must submit the list on or before May 17,” Agra said.

“Give all the justices the opportunity to explain their side that is the reason why in effect we are going to break tradition by holding interviews set for April 19 and April 20,” he said.

Various petitions, about 11 to 13, were filed before the SC seeking to stop the JBC panel from proceeding with the nomination process.

The JBC is currently holding a two-day special meeting in Baguio City to tackle the CJ issue, among others.

“So that was the decision of the JBC. Actually, it will be open ended. All the members of the council will have the opportunity to interview all the nominees and all the candidates on all aspects,” said Agra.

Concerning Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio-Morales, Agra said they would ask them on their stand. “Actually that will be part of the interviews. If they will attend the interviews that will be our opportunity to ask them with regards to the condition that they imposed in the acceptance of their nomination,” Agra said.

He further said, “We plan to clarify that so there will be no doubts. So we will ask them if they do attend with regards to the Supreme Court’s decision and the condition that they imposed.”

Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who also sits as ex-officio chairman of the JBC in concurrent capacity, will retire on May 17 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.

The Supreme Court, by a vote of 9-1-3, earlier ruled that the ban on appointments under Section 15, Article VII of the Constitution does not apply to the post of Chief Justice.

A day after the ruling, Chief Justice Puno took sabbatical and wellness leave and appointed Justice Carpio as acting Chief Justice. The latter, however, was not designated to sit as acting chair of JBC.