Leonen to serve as acting chief justice as Gesmundo retires

Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen will serve as acting Supreme Court (SC) chief justice when Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo retires on November 6, spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said Tuesday. “This is pursuant to Section 12 of Republic Act No. 296, or the Judiciary Act of 1948, which provides that when the position of Chief Justice is vacant, the duties and powers of the Chief Justice shall be exercised by the most senior Associate Justice until a new Chief Justice is appointed and qualified,” she said. A vacancy in the SC must be filled within 90 days, according to Ting. She said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will appoint the Chief Justice from a list of nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), which has opened the application and nomination process for the post. The deadline for the submission of online applications is on October 13, 2026, Tuesday, at 4:30 p.m. The JBC has also invited Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Ramon Paul Hernando, Henri Jean Paul Inting and Rodil Zalameda to apply for the post. —NB, GMA News