BREAKING: Diosdado Peralta is new Chief Justice

Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta has been appointed as Chief Justice. #chiefjustice #diosdadoperalta

Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta has been chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new Chief Justice, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea confirmed on Wednesday.

The 67-year-old Peralta will replace Lucas Bersamin who retired as Chief Justice on 18 October 2019. Associate Justice Antonio Carpio served as acting Chief Justice for a few days pending the announcement of Bersamin’s successor; he is also set to retire on 26 October 2019.

In a text message to the Daily Tribune, Medialdea said the appointment paper of Peralta was signed by Duterte Wednesday, 23 October.

Peralta is the 26th Chief Justice of the High Tribunal. He was appointed as 162nd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on 13 January 2009.

Peralta was a former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice ands an alumnus of the UST Faculty of Civil Law.

Three incumbent magistrates also vied for the Chief Justice post namely Associate Justices Jose Reyes Jr., Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Andres Reyes Jr.