Villarama is new Supreme Court justice

MANILA, Philippines - Court of Appeals Justice Martin Villarama Jr. was sworn in yesterday as the newest Supreme Court (SC) justice, replacing Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago who retired last month.

Villarama took his oath as the 166th SC justice even as another vacancy remains in the high tribunal following the retirement of Justice Leonardo Quisumbing last Nov. 5.

The 63-year-old Villarama is the husband of SC En Banc Clerk of Court Ma. Luisa Dizon-Villarama.

He was a perennial nominee by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) and has been nominated nine times.

Villarama obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) after graduating from De la Salle University with a degree on business administration.

He began his law career as a technical assistant in the Legal Research Division, now Office of the Chief Attorney, of the SC. 

Before rejoining the judiciary in 1986, Villarama worked as legal counsel and corporate secretary for various companies.

He was appointed judge of the Pasig City Regional Trial Court in 1986 and served as Executive Judge from 1992 to 1996.   

Villarama, who hails from Manila, was a recipient of the Ulirang Ama Award for Law and Judiciary and Katangi-tanging Anak ng Angat, Bulacan in 2003.

He was promoted in March 1998 to the CA where he served as presiding chairman of the CA’s Fifth Division and supervising justice of the Judicial Records Division.

Villarama served as examiner of Labor and Social Legislation in the 2004 Bar examinations.

He has also received recognition as one of the appellate court justices with zero or least pending cases during the 71st anniversary of the CA in 2007.

Villarama is also a member of the SC Sub-committee on the Revision of Rules on Criminal Procedure and a lecturer in the School of Law of MLQU.

Villarama was also a delegate in the 36th Program of Instruction for Lawyers conducted by the Harvard Law School’s Faculty in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the US.

Born on April 14, 1946, Villarama and Ma. Luisa Dizon have two children - Dr. Clarissa D. Villarama-Cellona, a dermatologist, and Carlo Villarama, who recently took the Bar exams.