Marcos swears in Villanueva, cites ‘closer’ SC-Palace ties
‘NEW PART TO PLAY’ President Marcos administers the oath of office to Raul Villanueva, who shows his gratitude. The President’s first appointee in the high court had been there since 2010, when he joined the Office of the Court Administrator, eventually becoming its head in 2022. —PPA pool
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos said he was “very happy” to pick Supreme Court Administrator Raul Villanueva as associate justice, as he cited a “closer relationship” with the high court that he said would be furthered by its newest member.
The President on Tuesday swore in Villanueva, his first appointment to the 15-member bench currently dominated by appointees of Mr. Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. The exceptions are Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, both appointees of the late former President Benigno Aquino III.
Villanueva was picked from among 10 contenders vying for the vacancy left by Associate Justice Mario Lopez, who retired on June 4 upon turning 70.
READ: New Supreme Court associate justice named
Mr. Marcos said Villanueva—a regional trial court judge for eight years before he joined the administration of the Supreme Court in 2010—now has a “new part to play.”
“We have begun a trend between the Supreme Court and the Executive, of a closer relationship in the past couple of years,” the President said.
“I know that the appointment of our new associate justice will continue that trend and bring the departments of government even closer than before,” he added.
Judge, administrator
This is so the government will function “smoother and better” as it becomes “unified in our goal to make life better for all Filipinos,” Mr. Marcos also said.
The President said Villanueva “is well-versed in all that needs to be done for the proper and smooth function of the court.”
Villanueva—an Ilocano like Mr. Marcos who hails from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur—finished his Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from the University of the Philippines in 1985 and obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the UP College of Law in 1990.
He worked in all three branches of the government before joining the judiciary in 2002 as presiding judge of Branch 255 of the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
While serving at the Las Piñas RTC, Villanueva also served concurrently as acting presiding judge in two other courts, a drug court in Taguig City and a family court in Manila.
Villanueva became the officer in charge of the Office of Court Administrator in November 2021 and finally the head of that office in March the next year.
As court administrator, he managed over 2,000 judges and 26,000 court personnel nationwide. According to the Supreme Court, under Villanueva’s leadership, his office implemented key reforms, including the decentralization of administrative functions to the Office of the Regional Court Manager, allowing judges to concentrate more on resolving cases.
“During his term, case disposition rates in the first- and second-level courts improved from 40 percent in 2021 to 49 percent in 2024,” the high court said in a news release.
‘Somebody who’s ready’
When he applied three weeks ago for the post of associate justice, Villanueva told members of the Judicial and Bar Council that, if appointed, they can expect “somebody who’s ready to become a member of the court.”
He reaffirmed that self-assessment on Tuesday, citing his more than two decades in the judiciary.
Asked about his biggest contribution in his field, Villanueva paused briefly before responding.
“I’m taking a while because I don’t know if it’s many or too little,” he said. “Leadership and stability.” —with a report from Inquirer Research
