By LALA ORDENES
THE Judicial and Bar Council has released the shortlist for the nominees to the highest judicial post in the land. Eight names, led by Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, made it to the list that will be submitted to the President.
The other nominees are Supreme Court Associate Justices Roberto Abad, Arturo Brion, Maria Lourdes Sereno, and Teresita Leonardo-De Castro.
There are three SC outsiders in the list: Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, Rep. Ronaldo Zamora, and Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, widely considered as a front runner and said to have Palace backing, was disqualified by the JBC because of the two disbarment cases filed against her.
Sen. Francis Escudero is the only one in the JBC’s eight-member panel who did not vote for Carpio. Carpio is the most senior member in the Supreme Court.
| Nominees | Who Voted | Total |
| 1. Roberto Abad | Peralta Musngi Tupas, Jr. Hermosisima Lagman Fernan-Cayosa |
6 |
| 2. Andres Bautista | Musngi Fernan-Cayosa |
2 |
| 3. Arturo Brion | Peralta Escudero Tupas, Jr. Hermosisima Lagman Mejia |
6 |
| 4. Soledad Cagampang-De Castro | 0 | 0 |
| 5. Antonio Carpio | Peralta Musngi Tupas, Jr. Hermosisima Lagman Mejia Fernan-Cayosa |
7 |
| 6. Leila De Lima | 0 | 0 |
| 7. Jose Manuel Diokno | Escudero Mejia |
2 |
| 8. Teresita Herbosa | Musngi Escudero Lagman Fernan-Cayosa |
4 |
| 9. Francis Jardeleza | Musngi Escudero Tupas, Jr. Lagman Mejia Fernan-Cayosa |
6 |
| 10. Maria Carolina Legarda | 0 | 0 |
| 11. Teresita Leonardo-De Castro | Peralta Tupas, Jr. Hermosisima Lagman Fernan-Cayosa |
5 |
| 12. Rafael Avelino Morales | 0 | 0 |
| 13. Raul Pangalangan | Escudero Tupas, Jr. Hermosisima |
3 |
| 14. Rene Sarmiento | 0 | 0 |
| 15. Maria Lourdes Sereno | Musngi Escudero Tupas, Jr. Lagman Mejia Fernan-Cayosa |
6 |
| 16. Manuel DJ Siayngco, Jr. | 0 | 0 |
| 17. Amado Valdez | 0 | 0 |
| 18. Presbitero Velasco | Peralta Escudero Hermosisima |
3 |
| 19. Cesar Villanueva | Musngi Hermosisima Lagman Mejia Fernan-Cayosa |
5 |
| 20. Ronaldo Zamora | Musngi Escudero Tupas, Jr. Hermosisima Lagman Mejia |
6 |
The JBC ex-officio members who participated in the voting are Associate Justice and Acting Ex-Officio Chairman Diosdado Peralta, DOJ Undersecretary Michael Frederick Musngi, Escudero and Rep. Niel Tupas, Jr.
The regular members who voted are retired Justice Regino Hermosisima, Aurora Lagman, Jose Mejia, and Maria Milagros Fernan-Cayosa.
The chief executive must choose from the list to replace fallen Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Corona was removed from office on May 29, when the Senate handed down its guilty verdict in the impeachment case against him.