Vacancies in the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan have been filled with the appointment of two new associate justices.
In a ceremony held on Wednesday, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo swore in Randolph Pascasio as new associate justice of the appellate court and Ronald Chua as a new associate justice of the anti-graft court.
Pascasio was formally appointed on Aug. 4, replacing former CA Associate Justice Marie Christine Jacob following her retirement in January this year.
Chua’s entry, meanwhile, completes the roster of 21 justices in the Sandiganbayan. He was appointed on Aug. 3, succeeding former Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta who assumed the position of court administrator of the Supreme Court in September last year.
Before joining the CA, Pascasio served as Department of Justice assistant secretary.
He started his government career in 1996 with the Presidential Management Staff, later earning his law degree from San Beda College and passing the Bar in 2004.
Meanwhile, Chua, a certified public accountant and lawyer, served as deputy ombudsman from 2023 to 2025.
He previously held posts in the Senate, including deputy secretary of the Commission on Appointments.
Among the attendees in the oath-taking ceremony were SC Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, and the newly appointed magistrates’ families.