MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda as the country’s next Chief Justice, placing a veteran magistrate with more than three decades of legal and public service experience at the helm of the judiciary.
Zalameda will succeed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who is set to retire on Friday, November 6, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Lino Cayetano announced Thursday.
“The selection of a Chief Justice is among the most consequential responsibilities entrusted to the President under our Constitution,” Cayetano said.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has chosen Supreme Court Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda to serve as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines,” he added.
Malacañang said Marcos chose Zalameda for his extensive judicial experience and qualifications to lead the Supreme Court while strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
The President expects the incoming Chief Justice to discharge his duties “with integrity, impartiality, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.”
“In selecting Justice Zalameda, the President recognizes the importance of experienced and principled leadership in preserving public confidence in our judicial institutions. This wide, broad experience makes him extremely qualified for the job,” Cayetano said.
Zalameda’s legal career spans more than 30 years, covering the trial courts, prosecution service, private practice and appellate judiciary.
After passing the Bar examinations in 1988, he began his government service as a branch clerk at the Makati City Regional Trial Court before entering private practice from 1990 to 1995.
He subsequently returned to government as a prosecutor and became Mandaluyong City prosecutor in 2002 at age 39.
In 2010, the Mandaluyong City government recognized his public service contributions by naming him an Ulirang Mandaleño.
Cayetano said Zalameda’s extensive experience across the justice system equipped him with the institutional knowledge and leadership credentials needed to head the country’s highest court./PN
