The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) opened on Monday the selection process for the first appointee of President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to the Supreme Court (SC) during its first meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Renato C. Corona.

As Chief Justice, Corona automatically sits as ex-officio chairman of the JBC, which screens nominees for vacant judicial posts.

With six out of eight members present, the JBC decided to open the nomination for the lone vacancy in the 15-member High Court caused by the retirement of former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno last May 17.

Besides Corona, also present at the meeting were ex-officio members Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and regular members retired SC Justice Regino Hermosisima Jr., private sector representative Justice Aurora Santiago Lagman and Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) representative Atty. J. Conrado Castro.

Outgoing Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor and Dean Amado Dimayuga, a regular member representing the academe, were absent.

The JBC likewise opened the nomination for a slot vacated by Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Norberto Y. Geraldez, who died of pancreatic cancer last April.

Interviewed by reporters after the JBC meeting, Agra said the eight-member constitutional body ordered its ex-officio secretary and SC Clerk of Court Ma. Luisa Villarama to cause the publication of the official announcement.

Agra also disclosed his intention to bid farewell to his fellow JBC members next week.

“We will have another JBC meeting on Monday. That will be my last,” said Agra, who will end his term as Secretary of the Department of Justice on June 30.

Earlier, Corona vowed to speed up the nomination process for Aquino’s first SC appointee.

Under the Constitution, the JBC should submit at least three nominees for a vacant position and the President has 90 days from the date of retirement or the occurrence of vacancy to fill up the position.

Corona had said he has to convene the JBC soon because Aquino only has until Aug. 17 to appoint, noting that the nomination process may take more than one month to finish.

The JBC meets only every Monday to discuss matters involving the filling up of vacancies in the judicial department.

Meanwhile, two other council members are about to end their respective terms of office.

Dimayuga is retiring on July 9, while Defensor, who lost in the May 10 congressional elections, will end his term on June 30.

But the JBC can still convene and vote on the nominees even with the absence of three members since a quorum still exists with five members, including the Chief Justice.