CA Justice Rosario appointed to SC

MANILA, Philippines — The 15-member Supreme Court is now complete with the appointment of Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario to the Supreme Court (SC), replacing Jose Reyes Jr. who retired last month.

SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters they have yet to receive a copy of the appointment papers as of yesterday afternoon, although Rosario was scheduled to take his oath at around 3 p.m. yesterday.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed that President Duterte had named Rosario as an associate justice of the SC.

Malacañang expressed confidence in the ability of Rosario to bring integrity and independence to the High Tribunal.

“As the newest member of the High Court, we are confident that Justice Rosario would advocate judicial independence, uphold the rule of law and continue the reforms in our court processes,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday.

The Palace congratulated Rosario, saying “we wish Justice Rosario all the best in his new assignment at the SC.”

Roque also confirmed that Duterte signed the appointment papers last Thursday.

Rosario graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University law school in 1983.

He passed the Bar in 1984 and started working for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as legal officer. Later, he became a senior corporate attorney of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Rosario was appointed senior assistant city prosecutor in Quezon City in 1994 and became the presiding judge of the Metropolitan Trial Court of Manila Branch 19 and as presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court of Makati Branch 66 in 1997.

He was appointed as CA associate justice in September 2005.

Before getting the SC post, Rosario had repeatedly applied for a post in the high tribunal and was repeatedly shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

He was one of the seven nominees in the shortlist submitted by the JBC to the President last month. Also in the list were CA Associate Justices Ramon Cruz, Japar Dimaampao, Jhosep Lopez, Eduardo Peralta Jr. and Maria Filomena Singh and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. – Christina Mendez