Next Chief Justice Expected to Be Appointed Before Gesmundo’s Retirement

The appointment will be one of the most significant judicial decisions of the Marcos administration, as it will determine who will lead the Supreme Court and oversee the Judiciary’s reform agenda in the coming years. Under the Constitution, the President must choose from the shortlist submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

On Oct. 29, the JBC transmitted to Malacañang a list of five nominees, all of whom are sitting members of the Supreme Court: Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Rodil Zalameda, Japar Dimaampao, and Jose Midas Marquez.

Among the contenders, Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen is the most senior member of the Court after Gesmundo. Before joining the Supreme Court in 2012, he served as dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law and was the government’s chief peace negotiator in talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, helping secure the framework agreement that paved the way for the Bangsamoro peace process.

Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, appointed to the High Court in 2016, previously served as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Acting Secretary of Justice under former President Benigno Aquino III. Prior to entering government, he spent more than two decades in private legal practice and arbitration and was recognized as a leading litigation lawyer.

Rodil Zalameda, who joined the Supreme Court in 2019, built his career in prosecution and the appellate courts. He served as a city prosecutor in Mandaluyong before becoming a Court of Appeals justice, bringing extensive experience in both criminal prosecution and judicial administration.

Japar Dimaampao is widely known for his expertise in constitutional and Muslim law and is regarded as one of the country’s leading legal scholars on Islamic jurisprudence. He previously served on the Court of Appeals before his appointment to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Jose Midas Marquez rose through the ranks of the judiciary and is recognized for his extensive administrative experience. Before his appointment to the Supreme Court in 2021, he served as Court Administrator and Supreme Court spokesperson, overseeing judicial operations nationwide and helping implement reforms across the court system.

Whoever is selected will become the 28th Chief Justice of the Philippines and will be tasked with leading the country’s highest court following Gesmundo’s retirement, marking Marcos’ first appointment to the judiciary’s top post.