Palace: De Castro’s appointment as CJ not a “reward” from Duterte

August 26, 2018

Malacanang on Sunday defended the appointment of Associate Justice Teresita de Castro as the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

"It's nonsense," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement in reaction to the statement of some critics that De Castro's appointment was a reward from President Rodrigo Duterte.

"PRRD (Rodrigo Duterte) upheld judicial professionalism by appointing most senior of aspirants," he added.

Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano has accused that De Castro's appointment was nothing more than a "reward" for her role in ousting former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

De Castro was one of the eight justices who voted to remove Sereno through a quo warranto petition, which was filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

The new chief magistrate will retire on October 8 when she reaches 70 years old. Ella Dionisio/DMS