MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday appointed Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Samuel Martires as the next Ombudsman.
Duterte made the announcement in his speech during the 69th anniversary of Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
“We have a new Ombudsman. I signed the appointment of Justice Martires. He was strict in the Sandiganbayan, but he is bright and he is a fair man,” Duterte said.
Martires, 69, will serve a seven-year term as Ombudsman, replacing Conchita Carpio-Morales who retired on Thursday.
Martires finished his law degree in San Beda College. He and the President are members of Lex Talionis fraternity.
Martires was appointed to High Court in March 2017 after serving the Sandiganbayan for 12 years.
Like Martires, Morales was an associate justice of the SC prior to her appointment as Ombudsman in 2011.
She was appointed by former President Benigno Aquino III. (PNA)
