Leonen named new SC associate justice - Yahoo! News Philippines
Chief government peace panel negotiator and former University of the Philippines Law Dean Marvic Leonen has been named Supreme Court Associate Justice, the presidential spokesman confirmed Wednesday.
The 49-year-old Leonen is the youngest magistrate to be appointed to the high tribunal, beating the record earlier set by now Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Leonen will fill the position vacated by Sereno.
"President Aquino views his appointment as a contribution to his vision of an empowered, independent, and reformist Judiciary," Lacierda noted.
With Leonen's appointment, four Aquino appointees now sit in the Supreme Court, the others being Sereno and Associate Justices Bienvenido Reyes and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.
Leonen is expected to serve in the Supreme Court for 21 years or until he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.