Supreme Court facade. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed another law classmate from San Beda to the Supreme Court, completing the 15 justices exactly six days before it holds an oral argument on the bid of detained Senator Leila De Lima to nullify the warrant for her arrest.
Court of Appeals Associate Justice Noel G. Tijam is the second appointee of Duterte to the high court.
Tijam takes the position of Associate Justice Arturo Brion who retired at the compulsory age of 70 last Dec. 29, 2016.
He graduated Magna Cum Laude from San Beda in 1967 with a degree in Bachelor of Arts, Major in Philosophy and Political Science. At the age of 20, while studying Law, he worked as lecturer at the Philippine School of Business Administration.
In 1971, he graduated cum laude and class salutatorian and passed the Bar examination at the age of 22.
During his interview with the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), Tijam assured he will be independent from the influence of his law school classmate, President Duterte, in rendering his decisions
Duterte’s first appointment was Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Samuel Martires.