(Photo courtesy of PCO)
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administered the oath of office to newly appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Rodil Zalameda during a ceremony at Malacañang on Monday, November 9.
Zalameda succeeded former Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who retired last week after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
The oath-taking ceremony marked Zalameda’s formal assumption of his new role before the President, following his appointment to lead the country’s highest court.
Marcos was joined by government and judicial officials during the ceremony, which also included a commemorative photograph with the new chief justice.
Zalameda previously served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court after his appointment in 2019 by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Before joining the high tribunal, he served as an associate justice of the Court of Appeals and held various positions in the judiciary and prosecution service.
As chief justice, Zalameda will preside over Supreme Court proceedings and oversee the administration of the country’s judicial system.
His appointment comes as the judiciary continues to handle major constitutional, legal, and administrative matters affecting the country.
Zalameda is the country’s 28th chief justice and the first appointed to the position by Marcos. His selection followed a nomination process conducted by the Judicial and Bar Council. Supreme
The new chief justice has emphasized judicial independence, accountability, and timely access to justice as priorities for his leadership.
The Supreme Court earlier confirmed that Zalameda had taken his initial oath of office before Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen on November 6. Monday’s ceremony before Marcos was a separate presidential oath-taking event, as shown in the official Palace photograph
