Rodil Zalameda will become the country’s next chief justice of the Supreme Court on Friday, November 6, succeeding Alexander Gesmundo, who retires after reaching the mandatory age limit.
At 63, Zalameda takes the helm of the Supreme Court with a judicial record that includes two consequential rulings on very different legal fronts: the acquittal of former First Lady Imelda Marcos and the recognition of red-tagging as a potential threat to constitutional rights.
Appointed to the high tribunal on August 6, 2019, Zalameda previously served as an associate justice of the Court of Appeals, where he eventually chaired its 17th Division.
He penned the Supreme Court decision acquitting Marcos of seven counts of graft after the justices found that the prosecution had failed to establish her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
He also authored the landmark ruling in Deduro v. Maj. Gen. Vinoya, which held that red-tagging, vilification, labeling and guilt by association could threaten a person’s right to life, liberty or security and potentially justify the issuance of a writ of amparo.
The ruling established an important legal recognition of the dangers of red-tagging, particularly when it places individuals at risk of harm.
Zalameda inherits leadership of the country’s highest court at a time when judicial independence, constitutional safeguards and public accountability remain consequential national issues.
His challenge will be to lead an institution where the law must carry more weight than the power, influence or political identity of those seeking its protection.
