President Duterte has appointed Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo as associate justice of the 15-member Supreme Court (SC).
He took the post vacated by Associate Justice Jose Catral Mendoza who retired last Sunday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 for members of the judiciary.
His appointment papers were sent yesterday to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
The new justice is the President’s fourth appointee to the SC. Earlier appointed were Associate Justices Samuel Martires, Noel Tijam, and Andres Reyes Jr.
The President is expected to appoint 10 more SC justices during his term.
Upon his assumption to office, Justice Gesmundo will be a member of the SC’s third division.
He started his government service in 1985 as trial attorney in the Office of the Solicitor General. In 1998, he was named “Most Outstanding Solicitor.”