MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Court of Appeals Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando as Supreme Court Associate Justice.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed this to Rappler on Wednesday. October 10.

Hernando will assume the vacancy left by retired SC Justice Samuel Martires, who has been appointed as Ombudsman.

At 52, Hernando, will be among the younger justices in the High Court. He will serve for 18 years – or until August 27, 2036, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Duterte’s choice of Hernando is a departure from his tendency to appoint justices close to retirement. Three of his previous appointees to the High Court – Martires, Noel Tijam, Andres Reyes Jr – are set to retire in either 2019 or 2020. Martires retired early to assume the Ombudsman post.

At the CA, Hernando distinguished himself with his speedy disposition of cases, a practice he told the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) he would keep if appointed SC justice.

Prior to the CA, Hernando was presiding judge at the Regional Trial Court in San Pablo, Laguna, and presiding judge at the Quezon City’s RTC Branch 93. Hernando also served as state prosecutor with the Department of Justice for 5 years.

He had been previously shortlisted for an SC associate justice position in 2017, and earlier this year to fill in the vacancy left by Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.

Hernando hails from Tuguegarao, Cagayan. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Literature degree at the University of Sto Tomas. He took first year law in UST, but continued and completed his law degree at the San Beda College of Law.

He passed the Bar examination in 1991with a score of 80.80%.

Duterte also appointed two new CA Associate Justices – Evalyn Arellano-Morales and Loida Posadas-Kahulugan. – Rappler.com