New SC Justice Javier takes oath

MANILA, Philippines — Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier has taken her oath as the newest member of the Supreme Court bench on Thursday afternoon.

Lazaro-Javier took her oath before Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin at the Supreme Court New Session Hall.

READ: Duterte picks Court of Appeals Justice Javier for SC magistrate post

They were joined by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Mariano del Castillo, Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza, Andres Reyes Jr., Alexander Gesmundo and Rosmari Carandang.

Former Chief Justice Teresita de Castro and Lazaro-Javier's family and colleagues also attended the ceremonies.

Lazaro-Javier takes over the seat vacated by retired Associate Justice Noel Tijam, who was recently appointed to the Judicial and Bar Council as representative for the academe.

She will reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 on  Nov. 16, 2026.

Javier profile

The new SC magistrate graduated from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law as class valedictorian. She passed the Bar in 1982.

A year after passing the Bar, she joined the Office of the Solicitor General.

She joined the Court of Appeals in 2007.

During her public interview with the JBC panel last year, Lazaro-Javier was asked to comment on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “predilection for male appointees” after he said that former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales' successor will not be a woman.

READ: Next ombudsman won't be a woman, Duterte says

Lazaro-Javier said that she does not see Duterte as an "enemy of women,” but as “a person who respects and loves his late mother who he credits to have unconditionally loved him and brought out the leader that he is.”

"I see the president to be reasonable and I am confident that if I be accorded the honor of being nominated for the post, the president will pass upon my qualifications on the merits," she added.