THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) trimmed the list of candidates for Chief Justice to three – all associate justices of the Supreme Court and all responsible for the ouster of their predecessor Maria Lourdes Sereno in an unprecedented fashion.

Justices Teresita de Castro and Diosdado Peralta got six votes each while Lucas Bersamin got five from the JBC, which screens applicants to the judiciary. The JBC will send the shortlist to President Rodrigo Duterte who will name Sereno’s successor.