Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. (File photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Wednesday designated Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva as the officer in charge of the Office of the Court Administrator following the appointment of now-Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez.
According to Presidential Decree No. 828, the court administrator should be appointed by the Chief Justice, but in practice, all members of the high court are usually consulted. Gesmundo also welcomed the appointment of Marquez, who could help the court in crafting new policies to improve the processes of lower courts.
Marquez was the high court’s longest-serving court administrator, whose office supervises more than 2,600 judges of first and second-level courts, and 25,000 court employees nationwide. He held the post for over 11 years prior to his designation on Tuesday as one of the 15 justices of the tribunal.
“His long stint as court administrator will help us in the review and planned innovations to the lower courts’ operations,” Gesmundo said in a brief statement.