“He’s very qualified. His years in practice as a private practitioner and also now as Solicitor General, and previously as Deputy Ombudsman… his record speaks for itself,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a press conference in Malacañang.
Jardeleza is among the 14 candidates vying for the post of Abad, who will retire in May.
Lacierda said he can vouch for Jardeleza since they have “worked more directly” with him as the lawyer of the executive branch.
Earlier, however, the Palace official said Commission on Audit chairperson Grace Pulido Tan is also competent enough to vie for the post.
“With respect to Chairman Grace Tan, again, her record also speaks for itself,” he said on Friday.
But Lacierda quickly noted that they will just wait for the decision of the JBC.
“Labas kami diyan sa pagpili kasi nasa JBC pa… they will still whittle down the list to a certain number,” he said.
“The President normally keeps a distance until such time that the final list is submitted to him… he takes time to sit down with the nominees and interview them and assess and guage those in the list,” he added.
The JBC is the body constitutionally mandated to create a shortlist of nominees for vacant posts in the judiciary, the Office of the Ombudsman, and Deputy Ombudsman.
The nominee that President Benigno Aquino III will eventually choose to replace Abad will be his fifth appointee to the 15-member Supreme Court. The rest are appointees of his predecessor, former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. — LBG, GMA News
