Duterte appoints new high court justice
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed a Court of Appeals Justice to the Supreme Court.
Appellate court Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan will occupy the post left by Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta after he was promoted.
Mr. Gaerlan, who graduated from San Beda College of Law in 1985, will retire in December 2028. He has been serving at the Court of Appeals since 2009.
He was among the 15 applicants for the position. The Judicial and Bar Council nominated him along with Court of Appeals Justices Manuel M. Barrios, Ramon R. Garcia, Jhosep Y. Lopez, and Eduardo B. Peralta, Jr. and Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez.
He took his oath before Mr. Duterte on Jan. 8, according to Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, an ex-officio member of JBC.
Mr. Gaerlan was the 13th justice appointed by Mr. Duterte to the high court. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
