MANILA - Five magistrates of the Supreme Court were included on the shortlist for the next Chief Justice for President Rodrigo Duterte's consideration, a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) said Friday.

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe all got 6 votes each, while Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. got 5, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, ex-officio member of the panel.

The list, which includes all justices who accepted their nominations, will be transmitted to the Office of the President before the day ends, said Guevarra.

The high court vacancy came following the retirement of Teresita Leonardo-De Castro in October. She had served as Chief Justice for 41 days after she was appointed to replace ousted Maria Lourdes Sereno.

In a text message to reporters, Guevarra said the JBC on Friday held closed-door panel interviews with Carpio and Bernabe before voting on the shortlist.

Peralta, Bersamin and Reyes had previously been interviewed together with retired Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro for the vacancy left by Sereno's ouster, and their interviews are still considered valid.

The four were among eight magistrates who voted to remove Sereno as chief justice for failure to faithfully file her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Carpio and Bernabe, meanwhile, dissented from the ruling that granted the quo warranto petition filed by Duterte's chief attorney, Solicitor General Jose Calida.

Peralta and Bersamin made it to the previous shortlist. De Castro was eventually appointed chief justice.

Carpio earlier declined his nomination to replace Sereno, saying he didn't want to benefit from a decision he disagreed with.

He has also remained a critic of the President's policy over the West Philippine Sea being a staunch advocate of the country's sovereign rights in the area, the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the disputed South China Sea.

Meanwhile, this is the first time Bernabe was included on the shortlist for the next top magistrate.

In 2012, she declined her nomination to replace former Chief Justice Renato Corona, who was impeached and convicted by the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, for misdeclarations in his SALN.

Guevarra said the shortlist will be submitted to the President before the end of the day.

The President has 90 days from October 10, when De Castro's retirement took effect, to choose the next top magistrate.