Duterte picks OP's Michael Pastores Ong as new appeals court justice

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed an official of the Office of the President as the new Court of Appeals associate justice.

Duterte picked Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Michael Pastores Ong to take over the post vacated by Samuel Gaerlan, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in January 2020.

Ong’s appointment paper is dated May 20, 2021, but the SC only received the document late Wednesday afternoon.

“He will take his oath before Chief Justice Gemsundo at 10am today,” the SC Public Information Office added.

Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo administers the oath of office to newly-appointed Court of Appeals Associate Justice Michael Pastores Ong. pic.twitter.com/TgM7Z6kW4i

— Philippine Supreme Court Public Information Office (@SCPh_PIO) January 27, 2022

Ong has been serving the government for more than 15 years. He rendered services at the SC as a court attorney and at the PNOC Exploration Corporation as corporate legal counsel.

At the Malacañang, Ong served in the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs. — Kristine Joy Patag