Senior Court of Appeals (CA) Justice Josefina Salonga, known in the judicial circle for her independence and integrity, topped the voting by Supreme Court (SC) justices to fill up posts vacated by retired justices Alicia Austria-Martinez and Dante Tinga.

An outsider, businessman Rodolfo Robles, also figured in the top choices of the High Court justices for the two vacancies.

The families of both Robles and President Arroyo are known to be close. Robles' father was a friend of the late former President Diosdado Macapagal, Arroyo's father.

Salonga got eight nods from the SC justices, outpacing CA justice Martin Villarama and Sandiganbayan Justice Francisco Villaruz, who both got seven votes.

Robles and CA Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando tied with six votes each.

University of Santo Tomas law school Dean Roberto Abad received five nods.

SC justices, although they are not part of the vetting process--with the exception of the chief justice who chairs the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC)--traditionally conduct voting on their preferred nominees.

The voting indicates the sense of the justices about the candidates.

However, the JBC, a constitutional body, is not bound to consider the SC voting in coming up with the shortlist to be submitted to the President.

Although the SC voting essentially is of no value to the JBC, it offers some insights as well as surprises.

Inside track?

One surprise was how Robles fared. The businessman has so far bucked the odds in his quest for an SC seat.
 
Robles decided to join the SC race after an encounter with President Arroyo, who  prodded him to apply for the SC.

A member of Constitutional Convention that drafted the 1973 Constitution, Robles said in a previous interview with abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak that he wants to try something new after years of engaging in real estate business.

Robles was initially disqualified by the JBC—the body that vets nominees to the SC—because of age.

JBC rules previously stated that nominees not from the judiciary should be able to serve in the SC for at least five years. The contention was that Robles, who is turning 66, has only four years left to serve in the judiciary if he gets appointed.

Justices retire when they reach the age of 70.

However, the JBC amended the rule on age requirement, giving Robles a fresh shot at the SC.

With two vacancies up for grabs and a respectable six votes from the SC, the outsider Robles might just get a passport to enter the SC.

Salonga's record

Salonga, during the JBC hearing, said she proved her independence when she ruled, despite outside pressures, to hold the hearings of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s petition for habeas corpus at the CA instead of at Camp Aguinaldo, which the military wanted.
 
She said she prevailed upon then Presiding Justice Romeo Brawner to take her side. “I told him we cannot surrender the right of the Court to hear the case (in the CA),” Salonga said.

Salonga also batted for public disclosure of the justices' Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Networth (SALN) as part of transparency.

Copies of the SALN of justices, despite the absence of an exemption in the law, are not open to public scrutiny.