Duterte appoints Sandiganbayan justice to Supreme Court

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Sandiganbayan Justice Alexander Gesmundo to the Supreme Court (SC).

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Monday said Gesmundo will take the place of retired SC justice Jose Mendoza.

The SC announced that Gesmundo has taken his oath before Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno at the SC session hall. Also present at the oath taking ceremony were nine other justices and Mendoza.

The SC'e 178th AJ Alexander G. Gesmundo takes his oath before the CJ, witnessed by the Members of the SC and Sandiganbayan Justices. pic.twitter.com/3iN8VDBJbn

— Supreme Court PIO (@SCPh_PIO) August 14, 2017

Prior to his appointment, Gesmundo was chairman of the Sandiganbayan's seventh division.

The 60-year-old Gesmundo is Duterte's fourth appointee in the SC after Justices Samuel Martires, who is also from the Sandiganbayan, Noel Tijam and Andres Reyes Jr.

Eight members of the judiciary, including Gesmundo, were shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council for Mendoza's post.

The names of the eight nominees were endorsed to Duterte last July.

A total of 13 individuals applied for the seat of Mendoza, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 on August 13. —with Virgil Lopez/ALG, GMA News