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In Re Appointments dated March 30, 1998 of Hon Mateo A Valenzuela and Hon Placido B Vallarta as Judges of the Regional Trial Court of Branch 62, Bago City and of Branch 24, Cabananatuan City, respectively NARVASA, CJ : The question presented for resolution in the administrative matter at bar is whether, during the period of the ban on appointments imposed by Section 15, Article VII of the, Constitution, the President is nonetheless required to fill vacancies in the judiciary, in view of Sections 4(1) and 9 of Article VIII A corollary question is whether he can make appointments to the judiciary during the period of the ban in the interest of public service Resolution of the issues is needful; it will preclude a recurrence of any conflict in the matter of nominations and appointments to the Judiciary — as that here involved — between the Chief Executive, on the one hand, and on the other, the Supreme Court and the Juducial and Bar Council over which the Court exercises general supervision and wields specific powers including the assignment to it of other functions and duties in addition to its principal one of recommending appointees to the Judiciary, and the determination of its Members emoluments 1 I The Relevant Facts The Resolution of the Court En Banc , handed down on May 14, 1998, sets out the relevant facts and is for that reason hereunder reproduced in full Referred to the Court En Banc by the Chief Justice are the appointments signed by His Excellency the President under date of March 30, 1998 of Hon Mateo A Valenzuela and Hon Placido B Vallarta as Judges of the Regional Trial Court of Branch 62, Bago City and of Branch 24, Cabanatuan City, respectively The appointments were received at the Chief Justice's chambers on May 12, 1998 The referral was made in view of the serious constitutional issue concerning said appointments arising from the pertinent antecedents The issue was first ventilated at the meeting of the Judicial and Bar Council on March 9, 1998 The meeting had be    

Legislation Cited

Cases and Articles Cited

Case Name	Citation(s)	Court	Jurisdiction	Date †	Full Text		Citation Index
Quimsing v Tajanglangit	119 Phil 729		Philippines				2
Jorge v Mayor	119 Phil 595		Philippines				2
Vargas v Rilloraza,	80 Phil 297		Philippines				6
Merrera v Liwag	18 Phil 1038		Philippines				2