Appeals court justice appointed to Supreme Court

Malacañang has announced the appointment of Court of Appeals Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe as the newest Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda made the announcement during Friday’s noontime news briefing in Malacañang.

Bernabe replaces retired Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, who has since been appointed Ombudsman. Her appointment completes the 15-member Supreme Court.

She’s President Benigno Aquino III’s third appointee to the Supreme Court. The others are Associate Justices Maria Lourdes Sereno and Bienvenido Reyes.

According to the Court of Appeals website, Bernabe completed her Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Banking and Finance magna cum laude at St. Paul College of Manila and earned her law degree from the Ateneo College of Law graduating as class salutatorian in 1976.

Bernabe passed the bar examination in 1977 with a rating of 85.156 percent.

The new Supreme Court Justice was appointed to the Court of Appeals on March 9, 2004. She was also a former regional trial court and metropolitan trial court judge of Makati City.

First posted 1:39 pm | Friday, September 16th, 2011