Supreme Court of the Philippines

Supreme Court of the Philippines
Kataas-taasang Hukuman ng Pilipinas Corte Suprema
Seal of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
14°34′46″N 120°59′3″E
Established	June 11, 1901
Location	Manila Baguio (summer)
Coordinates	14°34′46″N 120°59′3″E
Composition method	Presidential appointment from the list of preferred nominees made by the Judicial and Bar Council
Authorised by	Constitution of the Philippines
Judge term length	At most thirty years (retirement at the age 70)
Number of positions	15
Website	sc.judiciary.gov.ph
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Currently	Maria Lourdes Sereno
Since	August 24, 2012

The Supreme Court of the Philippines (Template:Lang-fil; colloquially referred to by the Template:Lang-es), is the highest court in the Philippines. It is presided over by a Chief Justice and is composed of fifteen (15) Justices, including the Chief Justice. Pursuant to the Constitution, the Supreme Court has "administrative supervision over all courts and the personnel thereof".

The Supreme Court Complex, which was formerly the part of the University of the Philippines Manila campus, occupies the corner of Padre Faura Street and Taft Avenue in Manila, with the main building directly fronting the Philippine General Hospital. Until 1945, the Court met in Cavite.

Constitutional role

Composition

The Members of the Court (2012 Annual Report)

A person must meet the following requirements in order to be appointed to the Supreme Court: (1) natural-born citizenship; (2) at least 40 years old; and (3) must have been for fifteen years or more a judge of a lower court or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines. An additional constitutional requirement, though less precise in nature, is that a judge "must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence." Upon a vacancy in the Court, whether for the position of Chief Justice or Associate Justice, the President fills the vacancy by appointing a person from a list of at least 3 nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council.

Beginning with the 1935 Constitution, Supreme Court Justices are obliged to retire upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. Some Justices had opted to retire before reaching the age of 70, such as Florentino Feliciano, who retired at 67 to accept appointment to the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization and Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez who retired at 68 due to health reasons. The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines provides that: "Section 11, Article VIII. The Members of the Supreme Court xxx shall hold office during good behavior until they reach the age of seventy years or become incapacitated to discharge the duties of their office."[1] Since, 1901, it was only incumbent Associate Justice Alicia Austria-Martinez who resigned for health reasons. Thus, on September, 2008, Austria-Martinez, citing health reasons, filed a letter to the Court through Reynato Puno, tendering her resignation effective April 30, 2009, or 15 months before her compulsory retirement on December 19, 2010. In the October 1 Judicial and Bar Council's en banc deliberations, Reynato Puno ruled: “The court merely noted it. We don’t have to approve it... it is her right.” During the JBC hearing, a JBC member said "Austria-Martinez had wanted to retire earlier because of health reasons. We were told she had health problems even when she was in the CA.” Retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Artemio Panganiban stated: "I am saddened that Justice Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez has opted to retire early from the Supreme Court due to 'health reasons.' She is not bedridden. Neither is she physically or mentally incapacitated, but she has chosen to retire on April 30, 2009 because she felt she could no longer cope with the heavy caseload." This was followed in 2016 however, by Justice Martin Villarama, who resigned in January of 2016, due to health reasons.

Adjudication

See also: Judicial review in the Philippines

The powers of the Supreme Court are defined in Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution. These functions may be generally divided into two – judicial functions and administrative functions. The administrative functions of the Court pertain to the supervision and control over the Philippine judiciary and its employees, as well as over members of the Philippine bar. Pursuant to these functions, the Court is empowered to order a change of venue of trial in order to avoid a miscarriage of justice and to appoint all officials and employees of the judiciary. The Court is further authorized to promulgate the rules for admission to the practice of law, for legal assistance to the underprivileged, and the procedural rules to be observed in all courts.

The more prominent role of the Court is located in the exercise of its judicial functions. Section 1 of Article VIII contains definition of judicial power that had not been found in previous constitutions. The judicial power is vested in “one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law.” This judicial power is exercised through the judiciary’s primary role of adjudication, which includes the “duty of the courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the government.”

The definition reaffirms the power of the Supreme Court to engage in judicial review, a power that had traditionally belonged to the Court even before this provision was enacted. Still, this new provision effectively dissuades from the easy resort to the political question doctrine as a means of declining to review a law or state action, as was often done by the Court during the rule of President Ferdinand Marcos. As a result, the existence of “grave abuse of discretion” on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the government is sufficient basis to nullify state action.

Cases

The Court is authorized to sit either en banc or in divisions of 3, 5 or 7 members. Since the 1970s, the Court has constituted itself in 3 divisions with 5 members each. A majority of the cases are heard and decided by the divisions, rather than the court en banc. However, the Constitution requires that the Court hear en banc “[a]ll cases involving the constitutionality of a treaty, international or executive agreement, as well as “those involving the constitutionality, application, or operation of presidential decrees, proclamations, orders, instructions, ordinances, and other regulations”. The Court en banc also decides cases originally heard by a division when a majority vote cannot be reached within the division. The Court also has the discretion to hear a case en banc even if no constitutional issue is involved, as it typically does if the decision would reverse precedent or presents novel or important questions.

Appellate review

Far and away the most common mode by which a case reaches the Supreme Court is through an appeal from a decision rendered by a lower court. Appealed cases generally originate from lawsuits or criminal indictments filed and tried before the trial courts. These decisions of the trial courts may then be elevated on appeal to the Court of Appeals, or more rarely, directly to the Supreme Court if only “questions of law” are involved. Apart from decisions of the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court may also directly review on appeal decisions rendered by the Sandiganbayan and the Court of Tax Appeals. Decisions rendered by administrative agencies are not directly appealable to the Supreme Court, they must be first challenged before the Court of Appeals. However, decisions of the Commission on Elections may be elevated directly for review to the Supreme Court, although the procedure is not, strictly speaking, in the nature of an appeal.

Review on appeal is not as a matter of right, but "of sound judicial discretion and will be granted only when there are special and important reasons therefor". In the exercise of appellate review, the Supreme Court may reverse the decision of lower courts upon a finding of an "error of law". The Court generally declines to engage in review the findings of fact made by the lower courts, although there are notable exceptions to this rule. The Court also refuses to entertain cases originally filed before it that should have been filed first with the trial courts.

Original jurisdiction

The other mode by which a case reaches the Supreme Court is through an original petition filed directly with the Supreme Court, in cases that the Constitution establishes "original jurisdiction" with the Supreme Court. Under Section 5(1), Article VIII of the Constitution, they are "cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and corpus." Resort to certiorari, prohibition and mandamus may be availed of only if "there is no appeal, or any plain, speedy, and adequate remedy in the ordinary course of law."

However, notwithstanding the grant of original jurisdiction, the Court has, through the years, assigned to lower courts such as the Court of Appeals the power to hear petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto and habeas corpus. As a result, the Court has considerable discretion to refuse to hear these petitions filed directly before it on the ground that such should have been filed instead with the Court of Appeals or the appropriate lower court. Nonetheless, cases that have attracted wide public interest or for which a speedy resolution is of the essence have been accepted for decision by the Supreme Court without hesitation.

In cases involving the original jurisdiction of the Court, there must be a finding of "grave abuse of discretion" on the part of the respondents to the suit to justify favorable action on the petition. The standard of "grave abuse of discretion", a markedly higher standard than "error of law", has been defined as "a capricious and whimsical exercise of judgment amounting to lack of jurisdiction"

History

Pre-Hispanic and Hispanic periods

In the years prior to the official establishment of the Supreme Court, institutions exercising judicial power were already in existence. Before the Spaniards came, judicial authority “in its primitive form” was in the hands of barangay chiefs. During the early years of the Spanish government, these powers were vested upon Miguel López de Legazpi, the first Governor-General of the Philippines. He administered civil and criminal justice under the Royal Order of August 14, 1569.

The present Supreme Court was preceded by the Real Audiencia, a collegial body established on May 5, 1583 and composed, of a president, four oidores (justices), and a fiscal, among others. The Chief Judge of the Real Audiencia was the Governor-General of the Philippines. It was the highest tribunal in the Philippines, below only the Council of the Indies of Spain. However, this body also exercised administrative functions, not just judicial functions.

The Audiencia’s functions and structure underwent substantial modifications in 1815 when its president was replaced by a chief justice and the number of justices was increased. It then came to be known as the Audiencia Territorial de Manila with two branches, civil and criminal, later renamed sala de lo civil and sala de lo criminal. The Audiencia was converted to a purely judicial body by a Royal Decree issued on July 4, 1861, but its decisions were appealable to the Supreme Court of Spain sitting in Madrid.

On February 26, 1886, a territorial Audiencia was organized in Cebu, followed by an Audiencia for criminal cases in Vigan. However, the pre-eminence of the Supreme Court as the sole interpreter of the law was unknown during the Spanish regime.

American period

From 1898 to 1901 there was no Supreme Court as the new American Governor-General of the Philippines abolished the colonial Real Audiencia of Manila as the Philippines was under US military law under military rule.

The Supreme Court of the Philippines was officially established on June 11, 1901 through the passage of Act No. 136, otherwise known as the Judiciary Law of the Second Philippine Commission. By virtue of that law, judicial power in the Philippine Islands was vested in the Supreme Court, Courts of First Instance and Justice of the Peace courts. Other courts were subsequently established.

The judicial structure introduced by Act No. 136 was reaffirmed by the US Congress with the passage of the Philippine Bill of 1902. The Administrative Code of 1917 ordained the Supreme Court as the highest tribunal of the Philippines with nine members: a chief justice and eight associate justices. Its decisions could be further appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

Commonwealth and independence

From 1901 to 1935, although a Filipino was always appointed chief justice, the majority of the members of the Supreme Court were Americans. Complete Filipinization was achieved only with the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935. Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel were among the first appointees to replace the American justices. With the ratification of the 1935 Constitution in a plebiscite held on May 14, 1935, the membership in the Supreme Court increased to 11: a chief justice and ten associate justices, who sat en banc or in two divisions of five members each.

Article V of the Treaty of Manila (1946) abolished the U.S. Supreme Court's appellate authority over the Supreme Court of the Philippines, but provided that Philippine appeals pending before the U.S. Supreme Court would be allowed to run to completion.

Under the 1973 Constitution, the membership of the Supreme Court was increased to 15. The justices sat en banc or in divisions. The 1973 Constitution also vested in the Supreme Court administrative supervision over all lower courts which heretofore was under the Department of Justice.

After the overthrow of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino, using her emergency powers, promulgated a transitory charter known as the “Freedom Constitution” which did not affect the composition and powers of the Supreme Court. The Freedom Charter was replaced by the 1987 Constitution which is the fundamental charter in force in the Philippines at present. Section 1 Article VIII of the Constitution vests the judicial power “in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be established by law.”

Writ of Amparo

Main article: Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data (Philippines)

The Supreme Court approved the Writ of Amparo on September 25, 2007. The writ of amparo (Spanish for protection) strips the military of the defense of simple denial. Under the writ, families of victims have the right to access information on their cases—a constitutional right called the "habeas data" common in several Latin American countries. The rule is enforced retroactively. Chief Justice Puno stated that "If you have this right, it would be very, very difficult for State agents, State authorities to be able to escape from their culpability."

The Resolution and the Rule on the Writ of Amparo gave legal birth to Puno's brainchild. No filing or legal fees is required for Amparo which takes effect on October 24. Puno also stated that the court will soon issue rules on the writ of Habeas Data and the implementing guidelines for Habeas Corpus. The petition for the writ of amparo may be filed "on any day and at any time" with the Regional Trial Court, or with the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. The interim reliefs under amparo are: temporary protection order (TPO), inspection order (IO), production order (PO), and witness protection order (WPO, RA 6981).

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has criticized the Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data for being insufficient, saying further action must be taken, including enacting laws for protection against torture, enforced disappearance, and laws to provide legal remedies to victims. AHRC said the writ failed to protect non-witnesses, even if they too face threats.

Habeas Data

On August 30, 2007, Puno vowed to institute the writ of habeas data as a new legal remedy to the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Puno explained that the writ of amparo denies to authorities defense of simple denial, and habeas data can find out what information is held by the officer, rectify or even the destroy erroneous data gathered.

On January 22, 2008, the Supreme Court En Banc approved the rules for the writ of Habeas Data ("to protect a person’s right to privacy and allow a person to control any information concerning them"), effective on February 2, the Philippines’ Constitution Day.

Language

Since the courts' creation, English had been used in court proceedings. But for the first time in Philippine judicial history, or on August 22, 2007, three Malolos City regional trial courts in Bulacan will use Filipino, to promote the national language. Twelve stenographers from Branches 6, 80 and 81, as model courts, had undergone training at Marcelo H. del Pilar College of Law of Bulacan State University College of Law following a directive from the Supreme Court of the Philippines. De la Rama said it was the dream of Chief Justice Reynato Puno to implement the program in other areas such as Laguna, Cavite, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Rizal and Metro Manila.

Judicial corruption

On January 25, 2005, and on December 10, 2006, Philippines Social Weather Stations released the results of its two surveys on corruption in the judiciary; it published that: a) like 1995, 1/4 of lawyers said many/very many judges are corrupt. But (49%) stated that a judges received bribes, just 8% of lawyers admitted they reported the bribery, because they could not prove it. [Tables 8-9]; judges, however, said, just 7% call many/very many judges as corrupt[Tables 10-11];b) "Judges see some corruption; proportions who said - many/very many corrupt judges or justices: 17% in reference to RTC judges, 14% to MTC judges, 12% to Court of Appeals justices, 4% i to Shari'a Court judges, 4% to Sandiganbayan justices and 2% in reference to Supreme Court justices [Table 15].

The September 14, 2008, Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) survey, ranked the Philippines 6th (6.10) among corrupt Asian judicial systems. PERC stated that "despite India and the Philippines being democracies, expatriates did not look favourably on their judicial systems because of corruption." PERC reported Hong Kong and Singapore have the best judicial systems in Asia, with Indonesia and Vietnam the worst: Hong Kong's judicial system scored 1.45 on the scale (zero representing the best performance and 10 the worst); Singapore with a grade of 1.92, followed by Japan (3.50), South Korea (4.62), Taiwan (4.93), the Philippines (6.10), Malaysia (6.47), India (6.50), Thailand (7.00), China (7.25), Vietnam's (8.10) and Indonesia (8.26).<

In 2014, Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (global survey ranking countries in terms of perceived corruption), the Philippines ranked 85th out of 175 countries surveyed, an improvement from placing 94th in 2013. It scored 38 on a scale of 1 to 100 in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

The Philippines jumped nine places in the recently published World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2015, making it one of the most improved countries in terms of global rankings. It ranked 51st out of 102 countries on the ROLI, a significant jump from last year when the country ranked 60th out of 99 countries. This makes the Philippines the most improved among ASEAN member nations. "Results showed that the country ranked high in terms of constraints on government powers (39th); absence of corruption (47th), and open government (50th)."

"The Philippines, however, fell to the bottom half of the global rankings in terms of regulatory enforcement (52nd); order and security (58th); criminal justice (66th); fundamental rights (67th), and civil justice (75th)."

“Bantay Korte Suprema”

"Watch the Supreme Court" coalition was launched at the Training Center, Ground Floor, Supreme Court Centennial Bldg on November 17, 2008, "to ensure the fair and honest selection of the 7 Associate Justices of the Supreme Court on 2009." Members of “Bantay Korte Suprema” include retired Philippine presidents, retired Supreme Court justices, legislators, legal practitioners, the academe, the business community and the media. former Senate President Jovito Salonga, UP Law Dean Marvic Leonen, Senate Majority Leader and Judicial and Bar Council member Kiko Pangilinan, the Philippine Bar Association, Artemio Panganiban, and Rodolfo Urbiztondo, of the 48,000-strong Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), and the chambers of commerce, witnessed the landmark event. BKS will neither select nor endorse a candidate, “but if it receive information that makes a candidate incompetent, it will divulge this to the public and inform the JBC." At the BKS launching, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the public monitoring of the selection of justices to the SC was signed.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Appointments Watch (SCAW) coalition of law groups and civil society to monitor the appointment of persons to judicial positions was also re-launched. The SCAW consortium, composed of the Alternative Law Groups, Libertas, Philippine Association of law Schools and the Transparency and Accountability Network, together with the online news magazine Newsbreak, reactivated itself for the JBC selection process of candidates.

Current Justices

Name	Born	Law School	Date of Appointment	Date of Retirement	Appointing President	Replacing
Sereno Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno (Chief Justice)	July 2, 1960 (Age 64) in Manila	University of the Philippines College of Law	August 13, 2010 (as Associate Justice) August 25, 2012 (as Chief Justice)	July 2, 2030	Benigno Aquino III	Renato Corona
Antonio T. Carpio (Senior Associate Justice)	October 26, 1949 (Age 75) in Davao City	University of the Philippines College of Law	October 26, 2001	October 26, 2019	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Minerva P. Gonzaga-Reyes
Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr.	August 8, 1948 (Age 76) in Pasay	University of the Philippines College of Law	March 31, 2006	August 8, 2018	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Artemio V. Panganiban
File:Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro-.jpg Teresita De Castro	October 8, 1948 (Age 76)	University of the Philippines College of Law	December 3, 2007	October 8, 2018	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Cancio Garcia
File:SCPh Justice Arturo Brion Official Portrait.jpg Arturo D. Brion	December 29, 1946 (Age 77) in Manila	Ateneo de Manila Law School	March 17, 2008	December 29, 2016	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez
Diosdado M. Peralta	March 27, 1952 (Age 72)	University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law	January 14, 2009	March 27, 2022	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Ruben Reyes
Lucas P. Bersamin	October 18, 1949 (Age 75)	University of the East College of Law	April 3, 2009	October 18, 2019	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Adolfo Azcuna
Mariano C. del Castillo	July 29, 1949 (Age 75)	Ateneo de Manila Law School	July 29, 2009	July 29, 2019	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez
File:SCPh Justice Jose P. Perez.jpg Jose P. Perez	December 14, 1946 (Age 77)	University of the Philippines College of Law	December 26, 2009	December 14, 2016	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Leonardo A. Quisumbing
Jose C. Mendoza	August 13, 1947 (Age 77)	San Beda College of Law	January 4, 2010	August 13, 2017	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	Minita Chico-Nazario
Bienvenido L. Reyes	July 6, 1947 (Age 77)	San Beda College of Law	August 20, 2011	July 6, 2017	Benigno Aquino III	Antonio Eduardo Nachura
Estela Perlas-Bernabe	May 14, 1952 (Age 72)	Ateneo de Manila Law School	September 16, 2011	May 14, 2022	Benigno Aquino III	Conchita Carpio-Morales
Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen	December 29, 1962 (Age 61)	University of the Philippines College of Law	November 21, 2012	December 29, 2032	Benigno Aquino III	Maria Lourdes Sereno
File:Justice Francis H. Jardeleza Official.jpg Francis H. Jardeleza	September 26, 1949 (Age 75)	University of the Philippines College of Law	August 19, 2014	September 26, 2019	Benigno Aquino III	Roberto Abad
File:SCPh Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa.jpg Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa	September 30, 1959 (Age 65)	Ateneo de Manila Law School	January 22, 2016	September 30, 2029	Benigno Aquino III	Martin Villarama, Jr.

Supreme Court Justices of the Philippines

#	Justice	Born	Term	End of Tenure	Replacing	Chief Justices	Chief Executive
1	Cayetano Arellano	March 2, 1847	June 11, 1901	April 12, 1920	Newly created seat	First Chief Justice	William Howard Taft
2	Florentino Torres	October 16, 1844	June 17, 1901	April 20, 1920	Newly created seat	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
3	Victorino Mapa	February 25, 1855	June 17, 1901	October 31, 1913	Newly created seat	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
4	James Francis Smith	January 28, 1859	June 17, 1901	February 17, 1903	Newly created seat	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
5	Joseph F. Cooper	March 30, 1854	June 17, 1901	October 17, 1904	Newly created seat	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
6	Charles A. Willard	May 21, 1857	June 17, 1901	April 24, 1904	Newly created seat	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
7	Fletcher Ladd	December 21, 1862	June 17, 1901	July 13, 1903	Newly created seat	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
8	John T. McDonough	July 12, 1843	February 18, 1903	May 1, 1904	James Francis Smith	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
9	Elias Finley Johnson	June 24, 1861	October 3, 1903	April 1, 1933	Fletcher Ladd	Cayetano Arellano	William Howard Taft
10	Adam Clarke Carson	January 14, 1869	November 16, 1904	November 30, 1920	Charles A. Willard	Cayetano Arellano	Luke Edward Wright
11	James F. Tracy	March 30, 1854	July 1, 1905	July 2, 1909	John T. Mcdonough	Cayetano Arellano	Luke Edward Wright
12	Sherman Moreland	October 16, 1868	February 1, 1909	April 23, 1917		Cayetano Arellano	James Francis Smith
13	Charles Burke Elliott	January 6, 1861	June 3, 1909	February 13, 1910		Cayetano Arellano	James Francis Smith
14	Grant T. Trent		February 28, 1910	April 23, 1917		Cayetano Arellano	William Cameron Forbes
15	Manuel Araullo	January 1, 1853	December 16, 1913	October 31, 1921	Victorino Mapa	Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
16	Thomas A. Street	March 14, 1872	June 13, 1917	June 1, 1935		Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
17	George A. Malcolm	November 5, 1881	July 9, 1917	February 1, 1936		Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
18	Ramón Avanceña	April 13, 1872	October 31, 1917	March 31, 1925		Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
19	Frederich Charles Fisher		November 17, 1917	November 16, 1918		Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
20	Percy M. Moir		November 25, 1918	November 20, 1920		Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
21	Ignacio Villamor	February 1, 1863	May 19, 1920	May 23, 1933		Cayetano Arellano	Francis Burton Harrison
22	James A. Ostrand	January 20, 1871	September 27, 1921	June 30, 1933		Victorino Mapa	Charles Yeater
23	Charles A. Johns	June 25, 1857	October 7, 1921	January 11, 1932		Victorino Mapa	Charles Yeater
24	Norberto Romualdez	June 6, 1875	November 1, 1921	April 1, 1932	Manuel Araullo	Manuel Araullo	Leonard Wood
25	Antonio Villareal	January 17, 1880	June 16, 1925	June 5, 1940		Ramón Avanceña	Leonard Wood
26	John A. Hull	August 7, 1874	June 1, 1932	February 1, 1936		Ramón Avanceña	Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
27	James C. Vickers	August 5, 1877	June 1, 1932	February 1, 1936		Ramón Avanceña	Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
28	José Abad Santos	February 19, 1886	June 18, 1932	December 23, 1941	Norberto Romualdez	Ramón Avanceña	Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
29	Carlos A. Imperial	November 4, 1880	June 22, 1932	May 20, 1941		Ramón Avanceña	Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
30	George C. Butte	May 9, 1877	July 1, 1932	February 1, 1936		Ramón Avanceña	Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
31	Anacleto Diaz	November 20, 1878	November 20, 1933	December 19, 1941		Ramón Avanceña	Frank Murphy
32	Leonard S. Goddard	January 29, 1871	January 9, 1934	January 29, 1936		Ramón Avanceña	Frank Murphy
33	Claro M. Recto	February 8, 1890	July 3, 1935	November 1, 1936		Ramón Avanceña	Frank Murphy
34	José P. Laurel	March 9, 1891	February 29, 1936	February 5, 1942		Ramón Avanceña	Manuel L. Quezon
35	Pedro Concepcion		October 31, 1936	January 1, 1940		Ramón Avanceña	Manuel L. Quezon
36	Manuel V. Moran	October 27, 1893	December 12, 1938	July 9, 1945		Ramón Avanceña	Manuel L. Quezon
37	Roman Ozaeta	February 28, 1891	June 24, 1941	October 16, 1950		Ramón Avanceña	Manuel L. Quezon
38	Ricardo Parás	February 17, 1891	December 28, 1941	April 1, 1951		José Abad Santos	Manuel L. Quezon
39	José Yulo	September 24, 1894	February 5, 1942	May 7, 1942		José Abad Santos	Manuel L. Quezon
40	Jorge C. Bocobo	October 19, 1886	February 5, 1942	January 31, 1944		José Abad Santos	Manuel L. Quezon
41	Jose Generoso		May 11, 1942	July 15, 1948		José Yulo	Manuel L. Quezon
42	Jose Lopez Vito	May 12, 1872	May 11, 1942	January 31, 1944		José Yulo	Manuel L. Quezon
43	Antonio Horrilleno	February 13, 1878	July 1, 1943	August 17, 1945		José Yulo	Manuel L. Quezon
44	Delfin Jaranilla	December 24, 1883	June 6, 1945	June 6, 1946		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
45	Felicisimo R. Feria	August 6, 1883	June 6, 1945	August 6, 1953		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
46	Mariano H. De Joya	September 8, 1887	June 6, 1945	June 25, 1945		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
47	Guillermo Pablo	June 25, 1886	June 6, 1945	June 4, 1955		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
48	Gregorio Perfecto	November 28, 1891	June 6, 1945	August 17, 1949		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
49	Emilio Y. Hilado	November 1, 1891	June 6, 1945	May 31, 1948		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
50	Jose A. Espiritu	April 10, 1886	June 6, 1945	August 15, 1945		José Yulo	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
51	Manuel C. Briones	January 1, 1894	September 15, 1945	May 24, 1949		Manuel V. Moran	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
52	César Bengzon	May 29, 1896	September 15, 1945	April 28, 1961		Manuel V. Moran	José P. Laurel Sergio Osmeña
53	Sabino B. Padilla	August 21, 1894	June 25, 1946	August 21, 1964		Manuel V. Moran	Manuel Roxas
54	Pedro Tuazon	September 15, 1884	June 25, 1946	January 4, 1954		Manuel V. Moran	Manuel Roxas
55	Jose Hontiveros	March 19, 1889	June 25, 1946	October 16, 1947		Manuel V. Moran	Manuel Roxas
56	Alejandro A. Reyes	June 4, 1899	August 6, 1948	June 3, 1959	Jose Generoso	Manuel V. Moran	Elpidio Quirino
57	Marcelino R. Montemayor	July 27, 1890	August 21, 1948	July 27, 1960		Manuel V. Moran	Elpidio Quirino
58	Luis P. Torres	April 8, 1880	August 20, 1949	April 1, 1950		Manuel V. Moran	Elpidio Quirino
59	Felix Angelo Bautista	May 20, 1896	October 20, 1950	May 20, 1956		Manuel V. Moran	Elpidio Quirino
60	Fernando Jugo	May 14, 1891	October 20, 1950	June 3, 1956		Manuel V. Moran	Elpidio Quirino
61	Alejo Labrador	July 17, 1894	April 22, 1952	July 17, 1964		Ricardo Parás	Elpidio Quirino
62	Roberto Concepcion	June 7, 1903	February 9, 1954	June 17, 1966		Ricardo Parás	Ramon Magsaysay
63	Ramon Diokno	March 28, 1886	February 10, 1954	April 21, 1954		Ricardo Parás	Ramon Magsaysay
64	Jose B. L. Reyes	August 19, 1902	June 30, 1954	August 19, 1972		Ricardo Parás	Ramon Magsaysay
65	Pastor M. Endencia	July 26, 1890	December 20, 1955	July 26, 1960		Ricardo Parás	Ramon Magsaysay
66	Alfonso Felix	September 17, 1888	July 24, 1956	September 17, 1958		Ricardo Parás	Ramon Magsaysay
67	Jesus G. Barrera	December 18, 1896	June 5, 1959	December 18, 1966		Ricardo Parás	Carlos P. García
68	Jose Gutierrez David	January 29, 1891	August 28, 1959	January 29, 1961		Ricardo Parás	Carlos P. García
69	Arsenio Dizon	October 5, 1901	July 26, 1960	October 5, 1971		Ricardo Parás	Carlos P. García
70	Jose Ma. Paredes	August 15, 1895	August 18, 1960	August 15, 1965		Ricardo Parás	Carlos P. García
71	Dionisio De Leon	April 8, 1892	April 28, 1961	April 8, 1962		César Bengzon	Carlos P. García
72	Felipe Natividad	September 20, 1891	April 8, 1962	September 20, 1962		César Bengzon	Diosdado Macapagal
73	Roberto Regala	June 7, 1897	May 23, 1962	December 22, 1975		César Bengzon	Diosdado Macapagal
74	Querube Makalintal	December 22, 1910	May 23, 1962	October 21, 1973		César Bengzon	Diosdado Macapagal
75	Calixto Zaldivar	September 13, 1904	September 12, 1964	September 13, 1974		César Bengzon	Diosdado Macapagal
76	Jose P. Bengzon	May 5, 1898	September 12, 1964	May 5, 1968		César Bengzon	Diosdado Macapagal
77	Conrado V. Sanchez	February 19, 1900	May 29, 1966	February 19, 1970		César Bengzon	Ferdinand Marcos
78	Fred Ruiz Castro	September 2, 1914	May 29, 1966	January 5, 1976		César Bengzon	Ferdinand Marcos
79	Eugenio Angeles	November 2, 1868	June 30, 1967	November 2, 1968		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
80	Enrique Fernando	July 25, 1915	June 30, 1967	July 1, 1979		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
81	Francisco Capistrano	October 6, 1899	September 16, 1968	October 6, 1969		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
82	Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	April 18, 1918	December 17, 1968	April 1, 1986	Eugenio Angeles	Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
83	Antonio P. Barredo	October 1, 1912	December 17, 1968	October 4, 1982		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
84	Julio Villamor	April 12, 1902	January 24, 1970	April 12, 1972		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
85	Felix Makasiar	November 20, 1915	August 2, 1970	July 25, 1985	Conrado V. Sanchez	Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
86	Felix Q. Antonio	May 18, 1911	June 1972	May 18, 1980		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
87	Salvador Esguerra	June 19, 1906	June 1972	June 19, 1976		Roberto Concepcion	Ferdinand Marcos
88	Estanislao A. Fernandez	March 28, 1910	October 19, 1973	March 28, 1975		Querube Makalintal	Ferdinand Marcos
89	Cecilia Muñoz-Palma	November 22, 1913	October 29, 1973	November 22, 1978	Newly created seat	Querube Makalintal	Ferdinand Marcos
90	Ramon Aquino	August 31, 1917	October 29, 1973	November 19, 1985	Newly created seat	Querube Makalintal	Ferdinand Marcos
91	Hermogenes Concepcion, Jr.	April 7, 1920	April 18, 1975	April 16, 1986	Calixto Zaldivar	Querube Makalintal	Ferdinand Marcos
92	Ruperto G. Martin	March 27, 1913	April 18, 1975	January 10, 1978	Estanislao A. Fernandez	Querube Makalintal	Ferdinand Marcos
93	Guillermo S. Santos	January 23, 1915	May 27, 1977	January 23, 1980		Fred Ruiz Castro	Ferdinand Marcos
94	Ramon C. Fernandez	February 16, 1916	May 27, 1977	May 11, 1982		Fred Ruiz Castro	Ferdinand Marcos
95	Juvenal K. Guerrero	November 4, 1916	May 11, 1977	November 4, 1984		Fred Ruiz Castro	Ferdinand Marcos
96	Vicente Abad Santos	July 12, 1916	January 17, 1979	July 12, 1986	Fred Ruiz Castro	Fred Ruiz Castro	Ferdinand Marcos
97	Pacifico P. De Castro	July 16, 1915	January 17, 1979	May 31, 1984		Fred Ruiz Castro	Ferdinand Marcos
98	Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera	May 11, 1922	January 17, 1979	May 11, 1992	Cecilia Muñoz-Palma	Fred Ruiz Castro	Ferdinand Marcos (1979) Corazon Aquino (1986)
99	Vicente G. Ericta	February 3, 1915	November 20, 1981	May 11, 1982		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
100	Efren I. Plana	June 28, 1928	November 20, 1981	April 16, 1986		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
101	Venicio T. Escolin	February 13, 1921	November 20, 1981	April 15, 1986		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
102	Conrado M. Vasquez	September 13, 1913	May 14, 1982	September 30, 1983		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
103	Lorenzo Relova	January 20, 1916	May 14, 1982	January 19, 1986		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
104	Hugo Gutierrez, Jr.	January 29, 1927	May 14, 1982	March 31, 1993		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
105	Buenaventura S. De La Fuente	July 14, 1922	February 28, 1984	March 6, 1986		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
106	Serafin R. Cuevas	June 25, 1928	June 1, 1984	April 16, 1986		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
107	Nestor B. Alampay	February 17, 1920	January 24, 1985	March 17, 1986		Enrique Fernando	Ferdinand Marcos
108	Lino M. Patajo	September 23, 1916	July 31, 1985	April 16, 1986		Felix Makasiar	Ferdinand Marcos
109	Jose Feria	January 11, 1917	April 7, 1986	January 10, 1987	Felix Makasiar	Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
110	Pedro Yap	July 1, 1918	April 8, 1986	April 18, 1988	Leo D. Medialdea	Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
111	Marcelo Fernan	October 24, 1927	April 9, 1986	June 30, 1988	Florenz D. Regalado	Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
112	Andres Narvasa	November 30, 1928	April 10, 1986	December 7, 1991		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
113	Isagani A. Cruz	October 11, 1924	April 16, 1986	October 11, 1994		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
114	Edgardo L. Paras	July 4, 1922	April 16, 1986	July 4, 1992		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
115	Florentino P. Feliciano	March 14, 1928	August 8, 1986	December 13, 1995		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
116	Teodoro R. Padilla	August 24, 1927	January 12, 1987	August 22, 1997		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
117	Abdulwahid A. Bidin	April 7, 1925	January 12, 1987	May 7, 1995		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
118	Emilio A. Gancayco	August 20, 1921	January 12, 1987	August 20, 1991		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
119	Abraham F. Sarmiento	October 8, 1921	January 25, 1987	October 8, 1991		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
120	Irene R. Cortes	October 20, 1921	February 1, 1987	October 20, 1990	Jose Feria	Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
121	Carolina Griño-Aquino	October 22, 1923	February 2, 1988	October 22, 1993		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
122	Leo D. Medialdea	August 17, 1927	May 2, 1988	November 7, 1992		Claudio Teehankee, Sr.	Corazon Aquino
123	Florenz D. Regalado	October 13, 1928	July 29, 1988	October 13, 1998		Marcelo Fernan	Corazon Aquino
124	Hilario G. Davide, Jr.	December 20, 1935	January 24, 1991	November 29, 1998	Irene R. Cortes	Marcelo Fernan	Corazon Aquino
125	Flerida Ruth Romero	August 1, 1929	October 21, 1991	August 1, 1999	Abraham Sarmiento	Marcelo Fernan	Corazon Aquino
126	Rodolfo A. Nocon	March 15, 1924	December 2, 1991	March 15, 1994		Marcelo Fernan	Corazon Aquino
127	Josue N. Bellosillo	November 13, 1933	March 3, 1992	November 13, 2003		Andres Narvasa	Corazon Aquino
128	Jose A.R. Melo	May 30, 1932	August 10, 1992	May 30, 2002	Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera	Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
129	Jose C. Campos, Jr.	April 9, 1923	September 3, 1992	April 9, 1993		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
130	Camilo D. Quiason	July 18, 1925	February 1, 1993	July 18, 1995		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
131	Reynato Puno	May 17, 1940	June 28, 1993	December 7, 2006	Hugo Gutierrez	Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
132	Jose C. Vitug	July 15, 1934	June 28, 1993	July 15, 2004		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
133	Santiago M. Kapunan	August 12, 1932	January 5, 1994	August 12, 2002		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
134	Vicente V. Mendoza	April 5, 1933	June 7, 1994	April 5, 2003		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
135	Ricardo J. Francisco	February 13, 1928	January 5, 1995	February 13, 1998		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
136	Regino C. Hermosisima Jr.	February 2, 1929	January 10, 1995	October 18, 1997		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
137	Artemio Panganiban	December 7, 1936	October 5, 1995	December 19, 2005	Camilo Quiason	Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
138	Justo P. Torres, Jr.	November 1, 1927	March 11, 1996	November 1, 1997		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
139	Antonio M. Martinez	February 2, 1929	November 10, 1997	February 2, 1999		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
140	Leonardo A. Quisumbing	November 6, 1939	January 15, 1998	November 6, 2009	Justo P. Torres Jr.	Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
141	Fidel P. Purisima	October 28, 1930	January 20, 1998	October 28, 2000		Andres Narvasa	Fidel Ramos
142	Bernardo P. Pardo	February 11, 1932	September 30, 1998	February 11, 2002		Andres Narvasa	Joseph Estrada
143	Arturo B. Buena	March 25, 1932	January 5, 1999	March 25, 2002	Renato C. Corona	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Joseph Estrada
144	Minerva P. Gonzaga-Reyes	September 25, 1931	January 5, 1999	September 25, 2001		Hilario Davide, Jr.	Joseph Estrada
145	Consuelo Ynares-Santiago	October 5, 1939	April 6, 1999	October 5, 2009	Antonio Martinez	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Joseph Estrada
146	Sabino R. De Leon Jr.	June 9, 1932	October 12, 1999	June 9, 2002	Flerida Ruth Pineda-Romero	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Joseph Estrada
147	Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez	February 28, 1938	December 22, 2000	February 28, 2008	Fidel P. Purisima	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Joseph Estrada
148	Antonio T. Carpio	October 26, 1949	October 26, 2001	October 26, 2019	Minerva P. Gonzaga-Reyes	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
149	Alicia Austria-Martinez	December 19, 1940	April 9, 2002	April 30, 2009	Bernardo P. Pardo	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
150	Renato C. Corona	October 15, 1948	April 9, 2002	May 17, 2010	Arturo B. Buena	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
151	Conchita Carpio-Morales	June 19, 1941	August 26, 2002	June 19, 2011	Jose A.R. Melo, JR.	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
152	Romeo J. Callejo, Sr.	April 28, 1937	August 26, 2002	April 28, 2007	Sabino R. De Leon Jr.	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
153	Adolfo S. Azcuna	February 16, 1939	October 17, 2002	February 16, 2009	Santiago M. Kapunan	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
154	Dante O. Tiñga	May 11, 1939	July 4, 2003	May 11, 2009	Vicente V. Mendoza	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
155	Minita V. Chico-Nazario	December 5, 1939	February 10, 2004	December 5, 2009	Josue N. Bellosillo	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
156	Cancio C. Garcia	October 30, 1937	October 7, 2004	October 30, 2007	Jose C. Vitug	Hilario Davide, Jr.	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
157	Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr.	August 8, 1948	March 31, 2006	August 8, 2018	Artemio V. Panganiban	Artemio V. Panganiban	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
158	Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura	June 13, 1941	February 7, 2007	June 13, 2011	Reynato Puno	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
159	Ruben T. Reyes	January 3, 1939	August 2, 2007	January 3, 2009	Romeo J. Callejo, Sr.	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
160	Teresita De Castro	October 8, 1948	December 3, 2007	October 8, 2018	Cancio Garcia	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
161	Arturo D. Brion	December 29, 1946	March 17, 2008	December 29, 2016	Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
162	Diosdado M. Peralta	March 27, 1952	January 14, 2009	March 27, 2022	Ruben Reyes	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
163	Lucas P. Bersamin	October 18, 1949	April 3, 2009	October 18, 2019	Adolfo Azcuna	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
164	Mariano C. del Castillo	July 29, 1949	July 29, 2009	July 29, 2019	Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
165	Roberto A. Abad	May 22, 1944	August 7, 2009	May 22, 2014	Dante O. Tiñga	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
166	Martin Villarama, Jr.	April 14, 1946	November 6, 2009	January 16, 2016	Consuelo Ynares-Santiago	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
167	Jose P. Perez	December 14, 1946	December 26, 2009	December 14, 2016	Leonardo A. Quisumbing	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
168	Jose C. Mendoza	August 13, 1947	January 4, 2010	August 13, 2017	Minita Chico-Nazario	Reynato Puno	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
169	Maria Lourdes Sereno	July 2, 1960	August 13, 2010	August 25, 2012	Renato C. Corona	Renato C. Corona	Benigno Aquino III
170	Bienvenido L. Reyes	July 6, 1947	August 20, 2011	July 6, 2017	Antonio Eduardo Nachura	Renato C. Corona	Benigno Aquino III
171	Estela Perlas-Bernabe	May 14, 1952	September 16, 2011	May 14, 2022	Conchita Carpio-Morales	Renato C. Corona	Benigno Aquino III
172	Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen	December 29, 1962	November 21, 2012	December 29, 2032	Maria Lourdes Sereno	Maria Lourdes Sereno	Benigno Aquino III
173	Francis H. Jardeleza	September 26, 1949	August 19, 2014	September 26, 2019	Roberto Abad	Maria Lourdes Sereno	Benigno Aquino III
174	Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa	September 30, 1959	January 22, 2016	September 30, 2029	Martin Villarama, Jr.	Maria Lourdes Sereno	Benigno Aquino III

Philippine court system

Judicial regions

• Court of Appeals
  • Regional Trial Courts
    • Metropolitan Trial Courts
    • Municipal Trial Courts in Cities
    • Municipal Trial Courts
    • Municipal Circuit Trial Courts
  • Shari'a District Courts
    • Shari'a Circuit Courts
• Sandiganbayan
• Philippine Court of Tax Appeals

See also

• Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
• Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
• Political history of the Philippines
• Constitution of the Philippines
• Judicial Executive Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELAC)
• Articles of Impeachment against Chief Justice Renato Corona

Books

• Deinla, Imelda (April 2014). "Public Support and Judicial Empowerment of the Philippine Supreme Court". Contemporary Southeast Asia. 36 (1): 128–158.

External links

• Philippines: Gov.Ph: About the Philippines – Justice category
• The Supreme Court of the Philippines – Official website