Du30 pormal nang itinalaga si Bersamin bilang Chief Justice

PORMAL nang inihayag ng Palasyo ang pagkakapili ni Pangulong Duterte kay Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin bilang bagong Chief Justice ng Korte Suprema.

Kasabay nito, inihayag ni Presidential Spokesperson at Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo na itinalaga rin ni Duterte si Rosmari D. Carandang bilang bagong Associate Justice ng Kataastaasang Hukuman.

“Justice Bersamin is presently the most senior Justice in the Supreme Court in terms of services rendered under the Judicial Branch in various capacities. He served nearly 17 years as the Presiding Judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, over 6 years as Associate Justice at the Court of Appeals, and close to 10 years as the 163rd magistrate of the Supreme Court,” sabi ni Panelo.

Pinalitan ni Bersamin ang napatalsik na si dating Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

“Justice Carandang, meanwhile, has been an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals since March 2003. Prior to her stint at the Court of Appeals, she likewise served as the Presiding Judge of the Manila Regional Trial Court,” dagdag ni Panelo. 

Inilarawan pa ni Panelo sina Bersamin at Carandang bilang kabilang sa “the best and the brightest” sa pagsasabing nasa ika-9 na pwesto ang bagong  Chief Justice sa 1973 Bar Examinations, samantalang, pang-9 din si Carandang sa 1975 Bar Examinations.

“We are confident that CJ Bersamin and AJ Carandang will continue to uphold judicial excellence, assert its independence and stand firm against erring members of the bench, the bar and court personnel as they lead the third branch of the government, together with the rest of the Supreme Court Justices, in remaining steadfast in its role as the guardian of the rule of law,” sabi ni Panelo.