Rizal Hall, Malacañang
25 August 2012

After a day of filling in the highest seat in the Supreme Court, President Benigno S. Aquino III formally sworn in Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as the 24th and the first woman chief justice of the highest court of the Philippines.

Chief Justice Sereno was joined by her family, Former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban and Associate Justices Bienvenido Reyes, Mariano del Castillo, Estela Bernabe, Martin Villarama Jr. and Roberto Abad.

Also present in the ceremony are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget and Management Secretary Butch Abad, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang, and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima who was also one of the fifteen nominees for the Chief Justice post.

President Aquino chose among the shortlist recommended by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) including Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, Supreme Court Justices Roberto Abad, Arturo Brion and Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, former Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and former Ateneo College of Law dean Cesar Villanueva.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, “The President is confident that Chief Justice Sereno will lead the judiciary in undertaking much-needed reforms. We believe the judicial branch of government has a historic opportunity to restore our people’s confidence in the judicial system.”

The honourable Sereno is the second youngest appointed chief magistrate at age 52 and will serve the highest tribunal for 18 years.

 

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