Transparency and Accountability Network

These are some quick notes from the Judicial and Bar Council's public interview of candidates for Ombudsman on 23 June 2011. 
(Cayosa, Mejia, Lagman, Hermosisima and Corona refer to the Judicial and Bar Council members who were present and asked questions. JBC members who were absent were Cong. Neil Tupas, Sen. Francis Escudero and Justice Sec. Leila De Lima. Very few observers were present

Public Interview of Candidates for Ombudsman                                                                                                                                                  Judicial and Bar Council                                                                                                                                                                                        23 June 2011, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm                                                                                                                                                                            Ground floor, Supreme Court Building, Padre Faura, Manila

1) Conchita Carpio-Morales (former Supreme Court Justice)

- Said to be the "most opposed" candidate according to Atty. Mejia given the number of opposition letters against her candidacy submitted to the Judicial and Bar Council. When asked to comment on the opposition letters against her, Carpio-Morales answered that she believes her decisions speak for themselves. As to her alleged “animosity” to former President Arroyo, Carpio-Morales explained a that a survey in 2008 showed that she had almost equal number of decisions that are for and against the Arroyo administration (11 against and 10 in favor) and therefore “animosity” would not be material.

For those who watched the impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada, you’re sure to remember Emma Lim of the “hindi kinain ang iced tea” fame. Watching her give her steely eyed testimony under examination by the wily and shrewd master interrogator, Estelito Mendoza, one could not help but find her a credible witness. Her credibility lay not only in her unflappable and straightforward testimony, but also in her demeanor and body language. We could not help but believe her. Without live television coverage of the trial we would have missed this. That is the power of live coverage, and that is the reason live television coverage of the Ombudsman interviews is so important.