LIST: The 5 shortlisted candidates to be the next Chief Justice

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Leonen joined the SC in November 2012. Before his appointment, he served as dean and professor of law at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

Leonen earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, magna cum laude, from UP in 1983 and his Bachelor of Laws degree from the same university in 1987, ranking fourth in his class. He later obtained a Master of Laws degree from Columbia University in New York.

He co-founded the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center in 1987, an advocacy organization that provides legal assistance to rural and Indigenous communities, and served as its executive director for 15 years.

From 2010 to 2012, Leonen served as the Philippine government's chief negotiator in peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He helped lead negotiations that resulted in the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro on Oct. 15, 2012, before joining the SC the following month.

Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa

Caguioa joined the SC in January 2016. He previously served as secretary of the Department of Justice and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel under former president Benigno Aquino III.

Caguioa had spent more than two decades in private legal practice, joining SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan in 1986 and becoming a partner in 1994. In 2007, he co-founded Caguioa & Gatmaytan Law Firm, specializing in civil and commercial litigation and arbitration.

He earned his Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1981 and graduated with honors from its College of Law in 1985, ranking fifth in his class. He placed 15th in the 1985 Bar examinations and was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1986.

Caguioa also taught law at Ateneo de Manila University, the University of Santo Tomas, and San Sebastian College before entering government service.

Rodil Zalameda

Zalameda joined the SC in August 2019 after serving as an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals for 11 years, where he also chaired its 17th Division.

Before entering the appellate court, Zalameda served as a public prosecutor and was appointed Mandaluyong City Prosecutor in 2002 at the age of 39. He began his judicial career in 1988 as a branch clerk at the Makati Regional Trial Court and later practiced law in the private sector from 1990 to 1995.

Zalameda earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1987 under an academic scholarship. During his time at the university, he served as an associate editor of the Ateneo Law Journal and a senior staff member of the Ateneo Law Bulletin.

Japar Dimaampao

Before becoming part of the SC, Dimaampao served as an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals for more than 17 years, chairing its Third Division.

Before his appointment to the appellate court in April 2004, Dimaampao held several government positions, including senior state prosecutor at the DOJ and presiding judge and executive judge of the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court.

A Certified Public Accountant, Dimaampao earned his law degree from the University of the East College of Law. He has taught Civil Law, Commercial Law, and Taxation at several universities, including the University of the East, San Beda University, and UST.

He has also served as a Bar examiner in Civil Law, Taxation, and Shari'ah law, and authored books on taxation and commercial law. 

Jose Midas Marquez

Marquez became part of the SC in November 2021 after serving as court administrator for nearly 12 years.

A longtime member of the judiciary, Marquez began his career in the high court in 1991 as an apprentice and later a law clerk in the office of Associate Justice Abraham Sarmiento. He subsequently held various positions in the offices of other SC justices before becoming a Court Attorney VI in 1995.

From 2006 to 2010, Marquez served as chief of staff to then Chief Justice Reynato Puno. During this period, he also held concurrent positions as assistant court administrator, chief of the SC's Public Information Office, and court spokesperson. He was appointed Court Administrator in January 2010.

Marquez earned his bachelor's degree in Economics in 1987 and his Juris Doctor degree in 1993, both from AdMU. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1994.