A THOMASIAN had been nominated to succeed Artemio Panganiban as Chief Justice.
Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez earned her Law degree in 1960 at the Faculty of Civil Law and passed the bar examinations at the same year. She was nominated on the basis of seniority, along with other associate justices such as Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Reynato Puno, Leonardo Quisumbing, and Antonio Carpio.
President Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Puno last Dec.6 as the new Chief Justice, a day before Panganiban was set to retire.
“The Faculty is honored that one of its alumna vied for the SC’s highest position,” Civil Law Dean Alfredo Benipayo told the Varsitarian. “It shows that the faculty’s graduates had and is still playing a big role in the community.”
“All of the candidates had fair and equal chances on being appointed,” Benipayo added.
The Constitution says that the President has to choose among a list of at least three candidates nominated by the Judicial Bar Council (JBC) within 90 days after a justice’s retirement.
In the final list submitted to the President, the JBC nominated Gutierrez, Quisumbingg, Santiago, and Puno.
Gutierez was elevated from the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court by former President Joseph Ejercito-Estrada in December 2000. In 2002, Gutierez was awarded the Outstanding Thomasian Alumna Award, an award given annually by the Puiblic Affairs and Alumni Office to UST alumni who have excelled in their respective fields.
At 68, Gutierrez has been considered for the top SC post twice. She will retire two years from now. Puno will retire in 2010.
The Faculty of Civil Law has produced six out of the country’s 21 chief justices, including the country’s first chief justice, Cayetano Arellano. Other UST Chief Justices were Victorio Mapa, Manuel Araullo, Ramon Avanceña, Roberto Conception and Andres Narvasa. Marc Laurenze C. Celis
