Metro Manila, Philippines – Five Supreme Court justices are vying to become the next chief justice after Alexander Gesmundo steps down on Nov. 6 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) will interview the candidates on Oct. 22 and 26 before submitting a shortlist of three nominees to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The candidates are Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Rodil Zalameda, Japar Dimaampao, and Jose Midas Marquez.
Here is a look into their professional milestones and judicial backgrounds.
Marvic Leonen
Leonen joined the high court in 2012 after a career in legal education, public service, and advocacy. He is the most senior among the five candidates.
He began teaching at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law in 1989 and was dean from 2008 to 2012. He also co-founded the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center in 1987, serving as its executive director for 15 years.
In July 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Leonen as the government’s chief negotiator in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The negotiations resulted in the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro in October 2012.
Leonen graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from UP in 1983 and a bachelor of laws degree from the same university in 1987. He later obtained a Master of Laws degree from Columbia University.
Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa
Caguioa joined the court in January 2016, after serving the Aquino administration as justice secretary and chief presidential legal counsel.
Before entering government service, Caguioa spent around 25 years in private legal practice, specializing in litigation and arbitration. He joined the law group SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan in 1986, became a partner in 1994, and founded the Caguioa & Gatmaitan Law Firm in 2007.
He also taught at Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, and San Sebastian College.
Caguioa earned his economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1981 and graduated fifth in his law class in 1985. He passed the Bar examinations in 1985 and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1986 after placing 15th.
Rodil Zalameda
Zalameda joined the court in August 2019, after 11 years as an associate justice of the Court of Appeals, chairing its 17th division.
He began as a branch clerk at the Makati Regional Trial Court after passing the Bar examinations in 1988. He entered private legal practice for a few years before returning to government service as a public prosecutor.
In 2002, Zalameda was appointed Mandaluyong City prosecutor at 39 years old. The city’s government named him an Ulirang Mandaleño in 2010 in recognition of his public service.
Zalameda earned his bachelor of laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1987 under an academic scholarship. He was an associate editor of the Ateneo Law Journal and a senior staff member of the Ateneo Law Bulletin.
He was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Japar Dimaampao
Dimaampao joined the high court after more than 17 years as an associate justice of the Court of Appeals, where he chaired its Third Division.
His previous government positions include legislative staff officer and political affairs assistant at the House of Representatives, court attorney at the Court of Appeals, senior state prosecutor at the Department of Justice, and presiding and executive judge of the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court.
Dimaampao was appointed to the Court of Appeals in April 2004. He is a certified public accountant and has taught civil law, commercial law, and taxation at a number of universities, including the University of the East and San Beda University.
In 2013 and 2016, he served as a civil law Bar examiner, and then a taxation Bar examiner in 2019. He was also a Shari’ah Bar examiner in 2006 and chaired the 16th Special Shari’ah Bar in 2020.
Dimaampao has authored books on taxation and commercial law. He is also a professorial lecturer II at the department of Shari’ah and Islamic jurisprudence of the Philippine Judicial Academy.
Born in Marawi City, he earned his law degree from the University of the East College of Law.
Jose Midas Marquez
Marquez joined the Supreme Court in November 2021 after nearly 12 years as court administrator.
He began at the high court as an apprentice and later on as law clerk. He rose through the ranks until serving as court attorney in 1995.
In 1999, Marquez was appointed deputy secretary of the Senate Electoral Tribunal. From 2006 to 2010, he was chief of staff to Chief Justice Reynato Puno and concurrent assistant court administrator, chief of the Public Information Office, and court spokesperson.
He was appointed court administrator in January 2010, a position he held until his appointment to the high court.
Marquez earned his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1987 and juris doctor degree in 1993 from Ateneo de Manila University. He passed the Bar examinations and was admitted to the Bar in 1994.
With reports from the Supreme Court of the Philippines
