FORMER and current military and law enforcement officials have applied for and have been shortlisted by the Supreme Court for key positions in its newly created Office of Judiciary Marshals (OJM).
The SC said 118 individuals have applied for the position of Chief Marshall and three Deputy Marshals, who will oversee the security and protection of judges, court personnel, and judiciary properties across the country.
Among those in contention for the posts are retired police Brig. Gen. Manuel Gaerlan, currently the president and CEO of Clark Development Corporation; retired army Brig. Gen. Ser-Me Ayuyao, currently the chief of staff and head of legal at the Anti-Terrorism Council Project Management Center; retired police Brig. Gen. Joaquin Alva who served as deputy director of the PNP Academy; retired police Maj. Gen. Napoleon Coronel, who served as a security consultant of the High Court during the Bar exams; retired army Col. Randy Remonte, also a UP Law graduate with advanced training from Spain’s prestigious Centro Superior de Estudios de la Defensa Nacional; retired army Col. Leonidas Hidalgo, an adviser to the National Capital Region Regional Community Defense Center Forces; and former NBI Director Eric Distor.
Other high-ranking officers interviewed by the SC are Col. Timoteo Kenneth Bansig (AFP-Judge Advocate General Service); retired AFP Brig. Gen. Benjamin Batara, Jr.; retired AFP Brig. Gen. Joseph Bayan; retired police Brig. Gen. Abraham Claro Casis; former AFP Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Cereño; Saturnino Diaron, AFP Judge Advocate General Service Colonel and Military Officer-Lawyer; Manuel Dimaano, former NBI Investigation Agent VI and current Department of Migrant Workers Labor Attache II; former AFP Col. Isaias Espino; Philippine Army Col. Arnie Fernandez; former AFP Col. Manuel Kalang-Ad, Jr.; and former army Col. Leouel Santos.
The SC said Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo conducted the interviews from January 28 to February 6, together with Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Ramon Paul Hernando, Rodil Zalameda, Samuel Gaerlan, Ricardo Rosario, Jhosep Lopez, and Jose Midas Marquez.
Zalameda is the Committee on Security’s chairperson while Marquez is vice-chairperson.
THREATS VS MEMBERS OF JUDICIARY
The OJM, created under Republic Act No. 11691 or the Judiciary Marshals Act, was established to address increasing threats against members of the judiciary.
It will be led by the Chief Marshal, supported by three Deputy Marshals assigned to Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Candidates for this position must be natural-born Filipino citizens with extensive experience in law enforcement and investigation.
Under the law, the Chief Marshal is preferably a member of the Philippine Bar and must have held at least the rank of full colonel in the Armed Forces, the PPNP, or assistant director in the NBI.
Deputy Marshals must meet similar qualifications, though Bar membership is not required.
The SC said exceptional candidates with proven track records in investigation and law enforcement may still be considered even if they do not meet the rank requirement.
The SC previously said OJM would also look into the unsolved killing of more than 30 judges since 1999.
The creation of the OJM, patterned after the US Marshal system, was the brainchild of retired Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta.
The SC has allotted an initial budget of P50 million for OJM’s operations.
