MANILA, Philippines – The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Saturday, August 29, announced the opening of application for the next Supreme Court (SC) chief justice due to the upcoming retirement of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.

The new chief magistrate, who will be chosen by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., will replace Gesmundo who will retire on November 6. Under the rule, justices are mandated to retire from the judiciary when they reach the age of 70.

The next chief magistrate will be the country’s 28th Chief Justice and will sit at the SC’s top post. The High Court oversees all courts in the country, including high level courts like the Sandiganbayan, Court of Appeals, and the Court of Tax Appeals.

Gesmundo has been the chief justice since April 2021 upon the appointment of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Sources and court people alike often refer to Gesmundo as the High Court’s “stabilizing force” for introducing a concept of collegiality among the justices and reforms inside the SC.

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Judicial and Bar Council opens application for next Supreme Court chief justice

Meanwhile, Gesmundo’s replacement will be chosen by Marcos after a screening process to be led by JBC. Public interviews will be held as well as part of this process.

Apart from Gesmundo, Associate Justice Amy Lazaro Javier is also retiring in November.

This gives Marcos two new appointments to the High Court after his first pick in 2025, Associate Justice Raul Villanueva. (READ: IN NUMBERS: Things to know about the Philippine Supreme Court and its justices)

Once Gesmundo and Lazaro Javier retire, the Duterte appointees inside the SC will drop to 10; Marcos might have three, while former president Benigno Aquino III has two. – Rappler.com