MANILA, Philippines — President Aquino has appointed Malacañang's chief counsel, Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, as the new Supreme Court Associate Justice, the high court learned Wednesday morning.
"By virtue hereof, you may qualify and enter upon the performance of the duties of the office, furnishing this Office and the Civil Service Commission with copies of your oath of office," Aquino told Jardeleza in the appointment paper signed Tuesday.
The Court acknowledges receipt as of 931AM today of the appointment papers dated Aug 19 of its 173d Associate Justice Francis H. Jardeleza.
— SC PIO (Official) (@SCPh_PIO) August 20, 2014 Jardeleza will take the lone vacancy left by the retirement of Associate Justice Roberto Abad last May 22.
The 64-year-old government lawyer will serve in the Supreme Court for six years until his retirement at the age 70.
A respected lawyer, Jardeleza has a degree of Masters of Law from Harvard University Law School and a baccalaureate law degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law, where he graduated salutatorian of his class.
He hails from Jaro, Iloilo and passed the bar third in rank in 1974.
He is Aquino's fifth appointee in the tribunal, with Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Bienvenido Reyes and Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
Aquino's decision came on the last day of the appointment validity as he was given 90 days from the time of vacancy to select from the Judicial and Bar Council's shortlist.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered Jardeleza's name included in the shortlist of final candidates for the post after Sereno blocked his bid, citing "integrity issues."
The Palace had agreed with Jardeleza, who appealed for his inclusion, on the row with Sereno.
Previous reports said that among the issues Sereno raised against Jardeleza was his bid to remove a Taiwanese-controlled island from the Philippines' arbitration case over areas of the disputed South China Sea.