Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro was selected as the new Chief Justice by President Rodrigo Duterte, a Cabinet official said Saturday.
“Teresita Leonardo-De Castro is the new Chief Justice,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters.
De Castro was first appointed to the Supreme Court by former president and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2007.
In a report by the Manila Bulletin, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reportedly praised De Castro’s appointment. He said, “Bravo! Best choice for CJ! Proven competence, known nationalist and a streak of being a judicial activist!”
De Castro was one of the five justices of the Supreme Court who voted to overturn the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno earlier this year.
De Castro was among the 3 SC justices who were included in the shortlist submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council to President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Sereno.
The new Chief Justice will be serving for about two months until she retires in October 2018 after 45 years of government service.
