MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino appointed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Benjamin Caguioa as ad interim justice secretary, replacing Leila de Lima who is running for senator in the May 2016 elections.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. disclosed the appointment last night.
Coloma said a transmittal letter had been sent to the Commission on Appointments for Caguioa’s confirmation. An ad interim appointment is temporary pending CA approval.
He will serve as justice secretary for the remaining eight months of the Aquino administration.
De Lima last night confirmed the appointment of Caguioa.
“Secretary Ben is a good choice, No doubt, with his legal background and work as chief presidential legal counsel, he’s highly qualified as SOJ (Secretary of Justice),” De Lima said.
Caguioa was appointed chief presidential legal counsel by Aquino in 2013, taking over from Eduardo de Mesa.
Caguioa obtained his degree in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1981 and graduated with honors from its College of Law in 1985, ranking fifth in his class.
He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1986 after placing 15th in the 1985 Bar examinations.
Caguioa was a classmate of Aquino from grade school to college. In law school, Caguioa was a classmate and close friend of Ochoa, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, among many others.
Caguioa was a senior partner of the Caguioa and Gatmaitan law office. He joined SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan in 1986 and was a partner there from 1994 until February 2007.
Caguioa went on leave for a year in 1987 to join his father – the late Court of Appeals justice Eduardo Caguioa – and handled mostly appeal cases in the CA and the Supreme Court.
He was a professor at the colleges of Law of Ateneo de Manila University and San Sebastian College, where he taught obligations and contracts, property, statutory construction and administrative law.–Edu Punay