PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, it was announced Thursday. Zalameda will succeed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who officially retires on November 6 after leading the high tribunal.
Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Lino Edgardo Cayetano confirmed the appointment, highlighting Zalameda’s extensive and distinguished record across more than 30 years in the Philippine judiciary.
“Justice Zalameda brings more than three decades of distinguished service to our judicial system,” Cayetano stated. His career spans from his early days as a court official and public prosecutor, through his tenure at the Court of Appeals, to his appointment as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
Zalameda has served under multiple administrations — beginning under President Fidel V. Ramos, continuing through the terms of Presidents Gloria Macapagal‑Arroyo and Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, and eventually earning his Supreme Court appointment from former President Rodrigo Duterte. This breadth of experience across different administrations was cited as a key factor in his selection.
Amid questions about judicial independence, Cayetano expressed full confidence in the new Chief Justice and the impartiality of the court. “We believe in the impartiality, and we look forward to working with the new Chief Justice,” he said. Zalameda now assumes leadership of the country’s highest judicial body, tasked with upholding the rule of law and ensuring the consistent and fair administration of justice across the nation.
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