The Judicial and Bar Council interviewed nominees for chief justice on March 13. The public interviews also covered the existence of so-called ‘search warrant factories,’ the judiciary’s backlog of cases, and the high court’s restrictions on the release of magistrates' wealth statements.

The third nominee, Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, was not asked about his position on releasing the SALNs of the members of the judiciary, but he is the ponente or author of a recent ruling that says the document should not be a ‘weapon for political vendetta.’

Here's a list of some of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo's decisions.

Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe retires on May 15, 2022. If she becomes chief justice, President Rodrigo Duterte may still appoint her successor. But it’s an election year and he will want an ally leading the court.