President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Court of Appeals Associate Justice Jose C. Reyes Jr. as new Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, vice Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. who reached his mandatory retirement age of 70 last August 8.
Reyes will take his oath on Monday, August 13, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go said in a text message to reporters.
Reyes is Duterte’s fifth appointment to the 15-member bench since assuming the presidency in 2016.
Prior to his appointment in the appellate court where he served for 15 years, Reyes was a Metropolitan Trial Court judge in Pasig City and Regional Trial Court judge in Rizal.
Like Duterte, Reyes is also a graduate of law in San Beda.
Reyes penned the controversial CA resolution granting the plea of the Executive department for the immediate execution, eviction and takeover of the government in the assailed Mile Long Property owned by the Prieto-Rufino family and ordered them to pay back rentals of P1.6 billion exclusive of its legal interest.
He also issued the order against the Prieto and Rufino clan to immediately vacate their Sunvar property.
Reyes was also one of the Justices who issued the Temporary Restraining Order halting the suspension of Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay.
The 67-year-old Reyes was a topnotcher in the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council submitted to the President after obtaining 7 votes from JBC members.
Also included in the shortlist were Court Administrator Midas Marquez, former Ateneo Law School dean Cesar Villanueva and Reyes’ five fellow CA Associates Justices Amy Lazaro Javier, Ramon Garcia, Apolinario Bruselas, Rosmari Carandang and Ramon Paul Hernando.