Teresita de Castro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Teresita de Castro
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| 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines | |
| In office August 28, 2018 – October 10, 2018 |
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| Appointed by | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Maria Lourdes Sereno (De facto) Renato Corona (De jure) |
| Succeeded by | Lucas Bersamin |
| 160th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines | |
| In office December 3, 2007 – August 28, 2018 |
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| Appointed by | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Preceded by | Cancio Garcia |
| Succeeded by | Rosmari Carandang |
| 4th Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan | |
| In office September 8, 1997 – December 3, 2007 |
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| Appointed by | Fidel V. Ramos |
| Preceded by | Romulo Quimbo |
| Succeeded by | Ediberto Sandoval (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Teresita Jose Leonardo
October 10, 1948 Manila, Philippines |
| Spouse | Eduardo de Castro |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines (AB, LLB) |
Teresita Leonardo de Castro (born Teresita Jose Leonardo; October 10, 1948) is a Filipina who became the 24th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. She was chosen by President Rodrigo Duterte on August 28, 2018.
She took over the position after the previous Chief Justice, Maria Lourdes Sereno, was removed. This happened through a special legal process called a quo warranto petition. This process questioned if Sereno's appointment was valid from the very beginning.
Because of this, Teresita de Castro became the official 24th Chief Justice. She was also the first woman to hold this important role in the Supreme Court.
De Castro retired on October 10, 2018. This was because she reached the required retirement age of 70. She served as Chief Justice for only 46 days. This made her the Chief Justice with the shortest time in office.
Before becoming a Supreme Court Justice, she was the Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan. This is a special court that handles cases involving government officials.
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About Teresita de Castro
Teresita de Castro's parents are Fortunato R. Leonardo and Maxima Jose. They are from Parañaque, a city in the Philippines. She lives in Merville Subdivision, also in Parañaque.
She is married to a businessman named Eduardo A. De Castro. They have three children: Maria Cherell, Christine Genevive, and Edouard Anthony.
De Castro finished her grade school in 1960 and high school in 1964. She was the top student, or valedictorian, in high school. She studied political science and law at the University of the Philippines. She graduated with honors in 1968 and finished her law degree in 1972.
She passed the Philippine Bar Examination in November 1972. This exam allows people to become lawyers.
She began her legal career in 1973 as a law clerk at the Supreme Court. She then worked as a state counsel for the Department of Justice (DOJ). She was promoted several times, becoming a senior state counsel and chief of the Legal Staff.
Before joining the Supreme Court, she was the Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan. She also led the First Division of that court.
From 2012 to 2014, she was the President-elect of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ). She also led the committee for the 2015 Philippine Bar Examination.
On August 25, 2018, President Duterte announced that he was appointing De Castro as the new Chief Justice. She officially started her new role on August 28.
Her Role in a Major Trial
Justice De Castro led a special division of the Sandiganbayan court. This division handled a big case involving former President Joseph Estrada. The trial ended in September 2007.
After the trial, Estrada appealed the court's decision. He called the court unfair. However, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the court's decision should be accepted.
De Castro was appointed to the Supreme Court soon after this important trial. Some people wondered if her appointment was a reward for her role in the case. She strongly said these rumors were not true. She explained that she was considered for a Supreme Court position even before the trial.
Becoming a Supreme Court Justice
On October 16, 2007, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) announced the people chosen for a vacant spot in the Supreme Court. Teresita De Castro was among those who received many votes from the JBC. The president then has 90 days to choose from these nominees.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is the son of former President Joseph Estrada, said he would try to stop De Castro's appointment. He felt that her promotion might seem like a reward for the decision against his father. He believed the special court was set up to find his father guilty.
Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno officially swore in De Castro on December 4, 2007. De Castro said she believed her many years of service in the judiciary made her qualified. She immediately started working in her first meeting with the other justices.
Her appointment became a topic of discussion. Many people thought her decision in the former President's case was connected to her appointment by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. They wondered if it was a trade-off for her decision.
Reactions to Her Appointment
- Joseph Estrada said De Castro's appointment was a "reward" for what he called an unfair decision against him.
- Senator Francis Pangilinan questioned her appointment. He noted that she would retire soon, saying it did not help make the rule of law stronger.
- Some people, like former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, suggested that the President might have appointed De Castro to repay her.
- Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. said it was the President's decision and he did not question it. He added that it's hard to please everyone.
- On December 4, 2007, Senate President Manuel Villar and Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada also questioned the timing. Villar said it looked like a reward for her decision in the former President's case. Jinggoy Estrada felt there might have been a deal.
- Senator Richard Gordon said De Castro was very qualified. He believed her appointment was not a "reward" because the former president was later pardoned.
- Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita defended her appointment. He said she had been nominated many times before but was bypassed because she was still handling the Estrada case. He added that she deserved the position.
Her Role in a Previous Chief Justice's Case
De Castro was one of five justices who wanted to cancel the appointment of Maria Lourdes Sereno. Sereno was the country's top judge before De Castro. Both De Castro and Sereno were considered for the Chief Justice role in 2012. However, President Benigno Aquino III chose Sereno at that time.
De Castro and four other justices were said to have used legal ways to try and remove the Chief Justice then in office.
Becoming Chief Justice
On August 25, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed De Castro as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. This happened after Maria Lourdes Sereno was removed from her position.
De Castro served for 46 days until her mandatory retirement on her 70th birthday, October 10. Her appointment was discussed because of her very short term. Also, her role in the removal of the previous Chief Justice was noted.
Education and Qualifications
University and Law School
- AB Political Science: University of the Philippines Diliman (graduated with honors, 1968)
- Bachelor of Laws: University of the Philippines Diliman (1972)
Training Courses
- Seminar on Loan Negotiation and Renegotiation (August 9 to September 5, 1986), International Law Institute, Washington D.C.
- Program of Instruction for Lawyers (June 11–21, 2004), Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Seminar Judging Across Borders: Canadian Judges and International Law, (April 6–9, 2005), National Judicial Institute, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Other Honors and Qualifications
- Phi Kappa Phi International Honor Society
- Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in the Social Sciences
- Vice Chancellor and consistent Member, Order of the Purple Feather, UP College of Law Honor Society
- Executive Vice-President, Philippine Women Judges Association
- UP Sigma Alpha Sorority
- UP College of Law, Portia Sorority and UP Women Lawyers Circle (WILOCI)
- University and College Scholar at UP Diliman
Notable Legal Opinions
- G.R. No. 180643, Romulo L. Neri Vs. Senate Committee, et al. (2008) – This case was about the government's right to keep some information private versus Congress's right to know.
- Criminal Case No. 26558 People Vs. Joseph Ejercito Estrada, et al. (Sandiganbayan 2007) – This was the case where former Philippine President Joseph Estrada was found guilty of a crime called plunder.
See also
- Supreme Court of the Philippines
- Trial of Joseph Estrada
- Neri vs. Senate Committee
