Three new deputy court administrators (DCAs) have been appointed by the Supreme Court (SC) to key administrative positions.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo administered the oath of office to DCA Leo T. Madrazo, DCA Lilian C. Barribal-Co, and DCA Rainelda H. Estacio-Montesa on Monday, 27 October 2025, at the SC Session Hall in Manila.
The high court said the appointments are part of its ongoing efforts to modernize the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) and its decentralized functions.
The DCAs’ roles have transitioned from traditional geographic assignments (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) to new functional designations under the Central OCA Leadership Team (OCA Central), which now focuses on strategy, policy, and innovation.
DCA Madrazo, formerly the Deputy Court Administrator for Mindanao, was confirmed as the Deputy Court Administrator for Operations on 21 October 2025. He brings extensive judicial experience, having served as a prosecutor in Davao City from 1996 to 2009, and later as presiding judge for both the Municipal Trial Court in Cities and the Regional Trial Court in Davao City before his 2018 appointment to the OCA.
Meanwhile, DCA Barribal-Co was appointed Deputy Court Administrator for Administration. A certified public accountant by profession, Barribal-Co is a long-time SC official who began her career with the OCA in 1990. She rose through the ranks, serving as Chief of the OCA Financial Management Office beginning in 2005, and was appointed Assistant Court Administrator in 2017. Her expertise is expected to strengthen the organizational and financial efficiency of the judiciary’s administrative arm.
The third appointee, DCA Estacio-Montesa, was named Deputy Court Administrator for Regional Services. Her appointment supports the SC’s initiative to establish Offices of the Regional Court Manager (ORCMs) in all judicial regions.
