MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed fraternity brother and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Antonio Kho as the new Associate Justice of the Supreme Court (SC).
“I confirm that the Supreme Court through the Office of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo received this afternoon the appointment papers of former Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho, Jr. as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines,” SC’s Public Information Chief Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka told reporters.
FILE PHOTO: Antonio Kho Jr. Photo from Comelec
Kho will fill the position vacated by Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang, who reached mandatory retirement on January 9, 2022.
The announcement of Kho’s appointment came more than two weeks after his retirement rites from Comelec.
READ: Abas, Guanzon, Kho bow out of Comelec
Malacañang congratulated Kho on his appointment, confirming that President Rodrigo Duterte signed his frat brod’s appointment paper on Wednesday, February 23.
“We wish Associate Justice Kho success in the Supreme Court, and we are confident that he will continue to dispense justice to every man, woman, and child with integrity, impartiality, and fairness,” Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said in a statement.
Kho is the 18th appointee of President Rodrigo Duterte to the Supreme Court. Of the 15 SC justices, 12 are Duterte appointees while the remaining magistrates – Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe, and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa – are appointees of former President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Kho and Duterte are both members of the Lex Talionis Fraternity.
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