Retired Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. has been appointed as the 15th associate justice of the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo received Kho’s appointment papers from the office of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on late Wednesday afternoon, February 23.
Kho took the post vacated by then Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang who retired last January 9. He retired as Comelec commissioner last Feb. 2.
The SC has appointed Carandang as chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJa), the judiciary’s education arm.
His appointment as SC associate justice completed the membership in the 15-member High Tribunal. Based on the reorganization done by the SC in its three divisions early this month of February, Kho is expected to be assigned to the court’s third division.
There will be a vacancy in the SC on May 14 with the retirement of Senior Associate Justice Estela M. Perlas Bernabe. The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has yet to submit its nominees to the post.
A check with the internet showed that Kho is a native of Jolo in Sulu. He finished his law degree at the San Beda University Law School. He was 10th placer in the 1991 bar examinations.
The new SC magistrate was a former undersecretary of the Department of Justice and law professor at the Arellano Law School, San Beda University, and De La Salle University College of Law.
Carandang meanwhile assumed on Wednesday her new post as PhilJa chancellor of. Carandang succeeded Chancellor Arturo Brion, also a retired SC member.
The new PhilJa head retired January 9 as SC magistrate. President Duterte, as of 2 p.m. on February 23, has not appointed her replacement in the 15-member bench.
In a statement issued by the SC’s public information office, Carandang is the second lady chancellor of PhilJa. The first head of the academy was the late Justice Ameurfina Melencio Herrera.
Another past chancellor was retired SC Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna whomBrion succeeded.
Carandang served the SC for more than three years. She was the 9th placer in the 1975 bar examinations.