ALEXANDER Gesmundo is the 27th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He first became an Associate Justice on Aug. 14, 2017 and later assumed the position of Chief Justice on April 5, 2021. He leads the Court's reform agenda, particularly, through the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 or the SPJI.
He also chairs various key committees in the Supreme Court. Before his appointment to the court, Gesmundo served as an associate justice of the Sandiganbayan and assistant solicitor general. He also held a seconded appointment as commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government.
He obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and is the first non-American recipient of the 2023 Chief Justice Richard Holmes Award of Merit from the American Judges Association.
Marvic Mario Victor Leonen joined the Supreme Court as its 172nd Associate Justice on Nov. 21, 2012. He heads the Supreme Court committees for human rights, international law, computerization and technology, bar discipline, access to justice, sustainability and environmental concerns and Shari'ah.
Before joining the court, Leonen served as the chief negotiator for the Philippine government with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and was key in reaching a framework agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2012.
He held various positions at the University of the Philippines (UP), including dean of its College of Law. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the UP College of Law and a Master of Laws degree from Columbia Law School in New York City.
Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa became the 174th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Jan. 22, 2016. He chairs the Supreme Court committees for the Unified Legal Aid Service Rules, revising the rules on evidence and special proceedings, commercial courts, continuing legal education and bar matters, data privacy, procurement and electronic notarization.
He previously served as secretary of the Department of Justice and chief presidential legal counsel to the late President Benigno Aquino 3rd. He was also a partner at the Caguioa & Gatmaytan Law Firm.
He graduated with honors from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law and ranked fifth in his class. He placed 15th in the 1985 Bar examinations.
Ramon Paul Hernando became the 180th member of the Supreme Court on Oct. 10, 2018. He oversees several Supreme Court committees, including those for facilitated naturalization for refugees and stateless individuals, maintenance of the halls of justice, plantilla positions and salary grades of the Judiciary and the new Supreme Court complex.
Before joining the Supreme Court, Hernando held positions as an associate justice of the Court of Appeals (CA); presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City and San Pablo City, Laguna; and state prosecutor. He obtained his law degree from San Beda College.
Amy Lazaro-Javier was appointed as the 182nd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on March 7, 2019. She leads the Supreme Court committees for family courts, juvenile concerns, revising the code of professional responsibility, and libraries and research.
Before joining the Supreme Court, she was an associate justice of the CA and assistant solicitor general. She graduated as class valedictorian (magna cum laude) from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law.
Henri Jean Paul Inting became the 183rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on May 29, 2019. He heads the Supreme Court committees for gender responsiveness and revising the rules on summary procedure and small claims cases.
Before this, he held various positions including associate justice of the CA, presiding judge of the RTC and Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), Quezon City; prosecutor and public attorney. He obtained his law degree from Ateneo de Davao University, graduating cum laude.
Rodil Zalameda joined the Supreme Court as its 184th Associate Justice on Aug. 6, 2019. He heads the Supreme Court committees for revising the rules on criminal procedure, special rules on extradition, security, and the implementing rules and regulations for the judiciary marshals.
Prior to this, he served as associate justice of the CA and chairman of its 17th Division, city prosecutor of Mandaluyong and branch clerk of Court of the Makati RTC. He obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University under an academic scholarship grant.
Mario Lopez became the 185th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Dec. 5, 2019. He is the chairman of the 2024 Bar Examinations and leads the Supreme Court Health and Welfare Board and Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Supreme Court Governing Council for Mental Health.
Before his appointment to the court, Lopez served as associate justice of the CA and was the chairman of its 12th Division and Rules Committee; presiding judge of the RTC, Batangas City and special prosecution officer at the Office of the Ombudsman. He graduated with cum laude honors from San Beda College with a law degree.
Samuel Gaerlan became the 187th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Jan. 8, 2020. He is the vice-chairman of the Supreme Court committees for revising the rules on evidence, summary procedures, small claims cases, code of professional responsibility, security, and the implementation of rules and regulations for the judiciary marshals.
He previously served as an associate justice of the CA and chairman of its 17th Division; presiding judge of the RTC in Quezon City and San Fernando, La Union as well as the Municipal Trial Court in Bangar, La Union.
Prior to his career in the judiciary, he served as a public attorney. He obtained his law degree from San Beda College.
Ricardo Rosario joined the Supreme Court as its 189th Associate Justice on Oct. 8, 2020. He heads the TWG for the requirements for clearance certificates for surety companies and vice-chairs the TWG reviewing the killing of lawyers.
Before this, he served as an associate justice of the CA and chairman of its 9th Division, presiding judge of the RTC in Makati and MeTC in Manila, senior assistant city prosecutor in Quezon City and legal officer at the National Bureau of Investigation. He earned his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.
Jhosep Lopez became the 190th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Jan. 25, 2021. He heads the Supreme Court committees for gender responsiveness, the halls of justice for Manila and Cebu City and drafting a drug free policy in the Judiciary.
Before his appointment, he held various positions including associate justice of the CA, city prosecutor and city councilor of Manila, chief legal consultant at the Department of Health and the first agriculture attaché to Beijing, China. He earned his law degree from the UP College of Law.
Japar Dimaampao was appointed as the 191st Associate Justice on July 2, 2021. He heads the Supreme Court committees for drafting rules implementing the Filipino Sign Language Act in the Judiciary, special commercial court cases, and is the vice-chairman on the TWG on Shari'ah.
Before his appointment, he served in various positions including as an associate justice of the CA and chairman of its 3rd Division and its Rules Committee, executive judge of the RTC in Mandaluyong City and senior state prosecutor.
He holds a law degree from the University of the East and is also a certified public accountant. He is the second Moro to be appointed to the Court.
Jose Midas Marquez became the 192nd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Nov. 16, 2021. He heads the Supreme Court committees for cybercrime and electronic evidence, virtual hearings and electronic testimony, the eCourt project, the Council of Association of Southeast Asian Nations Chief Justices Working Group on the Conduct of Videoconferencing, the hall of justice for Cagayan de Oro City and budget.
Prior to this, he held various positions in the Supreme Court including court administrator, chief of the Public Information Office and court spokesperson, chief of staff of former Chief Justice Reynato Puno and deputy secretary of the Senate Electoral Tribunal.
He obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.
Antonio Kho Jr. became the 193rd Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Feb. 24, 2022. He heads the Supreme Court committee for rules of procedure in election contests and vice-chairs the committees for performance evaluation and rules on extradition.
He previously served as commissioner of the Commission on Elections and undersecretary of the Department of Justice. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from San Beda College, placing 10th in the 1991 Bar Examinations.
Maria Filomena Singh became the 194th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on May 18, 2022. She is the Chair of the 2024 Shari'ah Bar Examinations and heads the Supreme Court committees for pleadings, practice and procedure; revising the rules on civil procedure; gender responsiveness; developing manuals for handling cases of women in conflict with the law and human resources; the code of conduct for court personnel; the new code of judicial conduct and the Justice Sector Coordinating Council TWG on process and capacity building.
Before her appointment, she served as an associate justice of CA and chairman of its Committee on Continuing Legal Education, presiding judge of the RTC and executive judge of the MeTC, both in Quezon City.
She earned her law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University with a second honors distinction and a Master of Law in International Legal Studies degree from the American University in Washington, DC.