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The JBC member said before voting on a shortlist with at least three names, they will first decide on the motion of Malacañang representative, Undersecretary for special concerns Michael Frederick Musngi, to suspend their rule on disqualification.
The meeting will start at 11 a.m., he added.
President Aquino only has 90 days from May 29 when Renato Corona was removed to name the next chief justice.
Should the JBC submit its shortlist today, he only has barely two weeks to make the appointment.
The voting was delayed five times in the past two weeks due to bad weather and issues involving the JBC’s composition and qualification of three candidates who have pending administrative cases.
Section 5 rule 4 of JBC rules provides for disqualification of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza and Securities and Exchange Commissioner chairperson Teresita Herbosa, who are facing administrative cases.
The JBC will resolve whether this issue on pending cases involves question on integrity, which is a main qualification for the top judicial post.
The Constitution requires the chief justice to be at least 40 years of age, a judge in a court of record for at least 15 years or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for the same period, and a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence.
Tupas said when the qualification of any candidate is raised based on any of these main criteria, the JBC should decide unanimously.
A single vote against a majority opinion serves as a veto, he added.
The JBC unanimously agreed last Friday that the three aspirants with pending cases are automatically disqualified based on their rules, Tupas said.
Musngi sought suspension of the rule, which Tupas had supported.
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