Villanueva is Marcos first SC appointee

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday swore in Raul Villanueva as the new associate justice of the Supreme Court, his first appointee to the SC.

Villanueva filled the post vacated by Justice Mario Lopez, who retired on June 4.

“We are very happy for this appointment because – as our new justice was saying and I was telling him – it is a well-deserved appointment,” Marcos said after administering Villanueva’s oath at Malacañang.

Present during Villanueva’s oath-taking were his family and members of the Cabinet, including Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who was a former chief justice.

Villanueva “has a wealth of experience as a judge,” according to Marcos.

Villanueva started his judicial career in 2002 when he was appointed presiding judge of the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 255.

He also served as acting presiding judge of Taguig City RTC Branch 267 and the Manila RTC Branch 4.

The new SC justice has been serving as Court Administrator since March 2022.

“He is well-versed in all that needs to be done as for the proper and smooth function of the court,” Marcos said.

Marcos said he hopes Villanueva would continue the “closer relationship” between the Supreme Court and the Executive branch which began “in the past couple of years.”

“And I know that the appointment of our new justice will continue that trend and bring the departments of government even closer than before and so that the function of government is smoother, better and that we are unified in our goal to making life better for all Filipinos,” the President said.

“We all have our part to play. And for Justice, you have a new part to play,” Marcos said.