New justice takes oath

Former Court of Appeals Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes was formally sworn in on Tuesday as the newest member of the Supreme Court.

In simple rites held at the high court, Reyes took his oath of office before Chief Justice Renato Corona as the 14th associate justice of the tribunal.

Reyes, 64, assumed the seat vacated by former Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura, who retired from the judiciary on June 13.

The newest Supreme Court magistrate is close to the family of President Aquino. He served as former finance manager of a security agency that Mr. Aquino established in 1987.

Reyes was among those reprimanded by the high court for “simple misconduct with mitigating circumstance” in 2008 over a bribery controversy in connection with the ownership dispute involving the Government Service Insurance System and Manila Electric Co.

The newly appointed magistrate declined interview with the media after the ceremony.

“My first order of business is to attend the en banc,” Reyes briefly told reporters.

Reyes was the President’s second appointee to the high court, following the appointment of Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno to the tribunal a year ago.

Mr. Aquino is expected to soon select the replacement of retired Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, who was named Ombudsman last month, to complete the composition of the 15-member high tribunal.