ALLAN THE MAN

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno has been named the 24th Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines.

Sereno, 52, is the youngest member of the High Court. She was appointed by President Aquino in August 2010. She will potentially occupy the seat of Chief Justice until the mandatory retirement age of 70, giving her a potential 18-year-term.

Sereno beat out seven other candidates, namely Acting Supreme Court chief justice Antonio Carpio; associate justices Roberto Abad, Arturo Brion, and Teresita Leonardo De Castro; Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, ex-Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva and former congressman Ronaldo Zamora.

"In the midst of this period of deep mourning for the loss of Interior and Local Government SecretaryJesse Robredo, the President is cognizant of his constitutional duty to appoint the next Chief Justice of the Philippines," presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on Friday.

"The President is confident that Chief Justice Sereno will lead the judiciary in undertaking much-needed reforms. We believe the judicial branch of government has a historic opportunity to restore our people’s confidence in the judicial system," Lacierda added.

Sereno was Aquino's first appointee to the Supreme Court and the youngest among the nominees to replace Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Sereno completed her law degree at the University of the Philippines in 1984 as Class Valedictorian and cum laude.

She took up AB Economics at the Ateneo De Manila University where she graduated in 1980.

She obtained her post-graduate degree at the UP School of Economics and in 1993, she completed another masteral degree, this time, Master of Laws, at the University of Michigan, Michigan, USA.

Sereno started her career in private practice as a junior associate of the Sycip Salazar Feliciano and Hernandez law firm in 1986.

Starting in1994 up to 2008, she served as legal counsel of various government offices such as the Office of the President, Office of the Solicitor General, Manila International Airport Authority, and the Department of Trade and Industry. She also previously headed the Information and Public Division office of the UP Law Complex.

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