By Moira Encina
Eagle News Service
Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, who is applying as associate justice of the High Court, has found support from a judges’ organization.
The Philippine Judges Association endorsed Marquez’s application to President Rodrigo Duterte, who is slated to pick the replacement of outgoing SC Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr. from a shortlist of eight nominees drafted by the Judicial and Bar Council.
Apart from Marquez, the shortlist of nominees to the post to be vacated by Velasco when he retires on Aug. 8 includes Court of Appeals Associate Justices Ramon Garcia, Amy Lazaro-Javier, Jose Reyes, Apolinario Bruselas at Rosmari Carandang, Ramon Paul Hernando and former Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva.
In PJA’s letter to the President dated July 9, PJA President and Marikina Regional Trial Court Judge Felix Reyes said the organization believes Marquez “possesses the necessary qualifications and experience having been in the service in the (SC) for almost three decades in various positions.”
“We also stand and affirm of his integrity and competence and his appointment as the next associate justice of the (SC) would greatly benefit our beloved institution,” he said.
Attached to the letter was a board resolution signed by the PJA’s national officers and regional directors endorsing Marquez.
The PJA is composed of 1,200 RTC judges.
