MANILA, Philippines — Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla yesterday took her oath of office as associate justice of the Supreme Court.
Padilla was sworn in by Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta as the high tribunal’s 188th associate justice, replacing Justice Andres Reyes Jr. who retired on May 11 at the age of 70.
Reyes was the first SC justice to be allowed a virtual retirement ceremony as Metro Manila is still under general community quarantine.
Padilla was one of seven contenders for the SC position submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council last June. She served in the CA for 14 years.