Marcos Jr. to choose from 19 applicants for retiring Supreme Court justice

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to appoint a new associate justice to the Philippine Supreme Court in November, replacing Justice Amy Lazaro Javier upon her retirement on November 16. Nineteen candidates have applied, the majority being incumbent officials, and the Judicial and Bar Council divided them into new applicants, who were interviewed publicly on October 13 and 15, and earlier-screened candidates whose prior interviews remain valid.

Highlighted nominees include Aldwin Alegre, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration; Jason Barlis, chair of the Legal Education Board; and Lily Biton, chair of the Court of Appeals’ 21st Division. Additional contenders span corporate counsel, senior lawyers and former judges. Marcos will choose from the council’s shortlist to make his second Supreme Court appointment after Justice Raul Villanueva in 2025.