President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed seasoned lawyer and academic Darlene Marie Berberabe as the new Solicitor General, following the resignation of Menardo Guevarra.

Berberabe took her oath of office before the President on Thursday, marking a new chapter in her distinguished career. Guevarra, who served in the role since 2022, expressed confidence in his successor, describing Berberabe as a “top-caliber lawyer with an impressive management background.”

“I think it is time to go back to a quiet and peaceful life,” said Guevarra, who has held various high-profile government positions for over a decade, including Justice Secretary during the Duterte administration.

Berberabe brings to the Office of the Solicitor General extensive legal experience having a strong academic and corporate leadership background. She served as the Dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law and has held board seats in several private firms, including SM Prime Holdings, Joy-Nostalg Solaris Inc., Palm Concepcion Power Corporation, and UnionDigital Bank.

A summa cum laude Philosophy graduate from the University of the Philippines, Berberabe was also class valedictorian of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy in 1989. She earned her Master’s in Philosophy while serving as the first female instructor in the UP Philosophy department. In 1999, she graduated salutatorian from UP Law as a working student.