Marcos appoints COA chair as Supreme Court justice

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Commission on Audit chair Gamaliel Cordoba as Supreme Court associate justice.

Cordoba will replace Amy Lazaro-Javier, who is set to retire on November 16 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.

His appointment was announced on Friday, November 13, during a briefing at the International Media Center with Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro.

Prior to his role at COA, Cordoba was the Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission from 2009 until 2022. On May 5, 2020, the NTC under Cordoba issued a cease-and-desist order forcing ABS-CBN off the airwaves immediately after its franchise expired on May 4, 2020.

This will be the third appointment of Marcos to the Supreme Court. He now has two appointed Associate Justices and one Chief Justice.

Marcos is also expected to appoint another Associate Justice left vacant by now-Chief Justice Rodil Zalameda. — with reports from Ian Laqui.