Marcos names Rodil Zalameda as new Supreme Court chief justice

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has named Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda as the new Supreme Court (SC) chief justice.

He will be replacing Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo who will retire on November 6.

Zalameda was appointed as SC associate justice by then President Rodrigo Duterte on August 6, 2019.

Prior to this, he was an associate justice of the Court of Appeals for 11 years and served as the chairperson of its 17th Division.

He was also a branch clerk of the Makati Regional Trial Court.

Zalameda was appointed as City Prosecutor of Mandaluyong in 2002 and served as a public prosecutor in 1995.

He practiced law from 1990 to 1995.

Zalameda obtained his Bachelor of Laws Degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1987. He passed the Bar Examinations in 1988.

He earned his secondary education from the University of the East Caloocan in 1979 and his Bachelor of Arts major in Political Science from UE Manila in 1983. UE recently conferred Zalameda the honorary Doctor of Laws degree

The other contenders for the SC chief justice were Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa, Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, and Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez.

READ: Who will be the Philippines' next Chief Justice?

The chief justice heads the Supreme Court but does not exercise all its powers independently. Decisions on cases are made by the Court, sitting en banc or in divisions, in accordance with the Constitution and applicable rules.

Among the responsibilities of the chief justice are:

• Preside over the Supreme Court.
• Certify compliance with the consultation requirement.
• Lead the Judiciary's administration.
• Chair the Judicial and Bar Council.
• Uphold judicial independence and accountability.

—AOL, GMA News