By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
After conferring the Order of Lakandula to outgoing Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo late Tuesday, Malacañang announced the appointment of Justice Rodil Zalameda as the next leader of the Supreme Court Thursday.
In a press statement, PCO Acting Secretary Lino Cayetano shared Zalameda’s appointment after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s thorough vetting of each incumbent justice and his/her qualifications to become the next top judiciary official.
Chief Justice Zalameda will be taking the reins of the SC as Gesmundo steps down from his post Friday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Among the qualifications possessed by Chief Justice Zalameda that earned the President’s seal of approval are his extensive experience in legal services and a multitude of positions that he held under previous administrations.
Zalameda obtained his Bachelor of Laws Degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1987 through an academic scholarship grant, and passed the Bar examinations in 1988. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Degree from the University of the East.
His legal career began with a brief stint as branch clerk of the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC), but briefly left government service to pursue private practice from 1990-1995.
An excerpt from his profile on the SC webpage read, “He returned to government service in 1995 as a Public Prosecutor until his appointment as the City Prosecutor of Mandaluyong in 2002 at the age of 39.”
He served in the position of City Prosecutor until he was appointed Associate Justice and Chairperson of the 17th Division of the Court of Appeals in 2008. Eleven years later, in 2019, he was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
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