By Moira Encina
Eagle News Service
Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita de Castro is the new Chief Justice.
This is according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who said he was informed Special Assistant to the President Bong Go himself announced publicly President Rodrigo Duterte’s choice, and that her appointment will be officially released by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday.
De Castro was chosen by President Duterte from the shortlist submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council, of which Guevarra is ex-officio member, on Friday, Aug. 24.
Apart from De Castro, shortlisted by the JBC were Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Lucas Bersamin.
This was despite the fact the three face impeachment complaints filed by Rep. Edcel Lagman and his group over their vote to oust Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice.
But Guevarra had said the mere filing of an impeachment complaint does not automatically translate to disqualification from vying for the position.
He said the complaints have to be endorsed to the appropriate committees first.
“Illustrious career”
De Castro is the 24th Chief Justice, and will serve as such for only over a month because she will retire in October.
But De Castro has said that even if she was given over a month to serve as CJ, she would implement many programs in the judiciary that will continue even when she retires.
She began her more than 40 years in government service as a law clerk at the Office of the Clerk of Court of the SC in 1973 up to 1978.
She also served as State Counsel until 1997, when she was appointed by then-President Fidel V. Ramos as Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan and later as presiding justice of the anti-graft court.
De Castro headed the Special Division of the Sandiganbayan that convicted former President Joseph Estrada of plunder.
De Castro also became president of the Philippine Women Judges Association and the International Women Judges Association.
She also was given recognition for her contributions to the judiciary.
“Her appointment as chief justice is a fitting finale to Justice De Castro’s illustrious career in both the (DOJ) and the judiciary,” Guevarra said.