MANILA, Philippines?(UPDATE) Court administrator Jose Perez has been appointed to the Supreme Court, tribunal spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said on Christmas Day.

Marquez said Perez will fill up the vacancy left by retired Senior Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing in November.

Perez becomes the high tribunal?s 167th justice.

Only the seat left by Associate Justice Minita Chico-Nazario remains vacant after she retired earlier this month from the 15-person tribunal.

Marquez said Perez will take his oath before Chief Justice Reynato Puno Friday. Puno on Thursday received Perez's appointment papers signed by Ms Arroyo.

One of Perez's last undertakings as court administrator was to ensure that a judge would handle the multiple murder charges against Andal Ampatuan, Jr., in connection with the Maguindanao massacre that claimed at least 57 lives.

After a Quezon City regional trial court judge excused himself from hearing the high-profile and high-risk case, Puno and Perez met with QC magistrates in a dialog to thresh out security issues.

A re-raffle of the multiple murder case was then ordered by Puno through Perez.

Marquez described Perez as someone who rose from the ranks in the high tribunal.

?The appointment of Perez caps an illustrious career of 38 years in government service which started in the Supreme Court, was nurtured there, and by all indications, will end there,? Marquez said.

?This gives him the distinction of being the only appointee in the history of the Supreme Court who literally rose from the ranks in it,? he added.