Manila: The Supreme Court has announced the schedule for public interviews of candidates vying for the position of Ombudsman. These interviews, set to begin this week, will be conducted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) at the Supreme Court En Banc Session Hall from August 28 to September 2, following the retirement of former Ombudsman Samuel Martires.
According to Philippines News Agency, recordings of the public interviews will be uploaded after all interviews are completed on September 2. The process will kick off at 9 a.m. on August 28 with candidates including former Commission on Audit chair and current Philippine Competition Commission chair Michael Aguinaldo, Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Romeo Benitez, and lawyer Jonie Caroche-Vestido. The afternoon session will feature Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Bautista Corpin and retired CA Justice Stephen Cruz.
On August 29, the interviews will commence at 11 a.m., featuring Sandiganbayan Presiding Judge Geraldine Econg, Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres, Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, and former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Henares-Jacinto. The interviews will continue on September 1 with Deputy Executive Secretary Lisa Logan and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Mario Lopez in the morning, and former Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag and Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Musngi in the afternoon.
The final day of interviews, September 2, will see Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chair Felix Reyes in the morning, followed by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Jayson Rodenas and retired RTC Judge Benjamin Turgano in the afternoon.
In a related development, the Supreme Court has reorganized the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) into the Judicial Integrity Office (JIO) to enhance the handling of administrative disciplinary cases within the judiciary. This restructuring aims to streamline processes and bolster accountability among judges, officials, and court employees. Since the JIB's establishment in 2020, the Supreme Court has conducted an organizational assessment and process mapping to evaluate its structure and functions. Based on these assessments, a technical working group recommended the creation of the JIO.
The Supreme Court En Banc has approved this recommendation, replacing the five-member JIB with a single Judicial Integrity Officer appointed by the Supreme Court. This officer will serve a four-year term with the possibility of reappointment and may be succeeded upon the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice, based on the recommendation of the incoming Chief Justice.
