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Supreme Court honors retiring Justice Tijam

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Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/01/04/20190104-cj-and-j-tijam.jpg"/><figcaption>Supreme Court Associate Justice Noel Tijam receives a Plaque of Recognition from Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on the occasion of his retirement during a special En Banc session held Jan. 4, 2019. Handout/SC Public Information Office</figcaption></figure></div> MANILA - The Supreme Court held a special en banc session on Friday in honor of Associate Justice Noel Tijam, who is set to retire on Saturday, Jan. 5 after almost 2 years in the high court.All 14 sitting justices were present during the session.Tijam, currently the 9th most senior justice in the top court, was President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s second <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/08/17/duterte-classmate-named-new-sc-associate-justice">appointee</a> to the high court.“[Justice Tijam] has completed close to a quarter of a century of dedicated judicial work. He has also left an indelible impact on law school education, continuing legal education for lawyers and judges, and rule-making,&quot; Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin said in his message.Tijam penned the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/05/11/18/read-the-supreme-court-decision-ousting-chief-justice-sereno">decision </a>ousting former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in May 2018.Tijam also wrote the ruling that <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/28/18/sc-junks-petition-questioning-strengthened-anti-hospital-deposit-law">junked </a>a petition filed by a group of private hospitals questioning the constitutionality of a law strengthening the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law in November.He also penned the decision that recently <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/26/18/sc-affirms-soriano-libel-conviction-acquits-him-in-another-case">affirmed </a>the conviction on one count of libel against Ang Dating Daan evangelist Bro. Eli Soriano over his statements against Jesus Miracle Crusade evangelist Wilde Almeda.During the retirement ceremony on Friday, Tijam received tokens from his fellow justices: the SC flag, the Philippine flag, the SC seal, a judicial robe, a brass shingle, an SC ring, SC pen, timepiece, and a book of decisions. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">SC PIO: In a special en banc session, the Supreme Court convened this morning for Associate Justice Noel G. Tijam’s retirement ceremony. Justice Tijam is set to compulsorily retire on January 5, 2019. <a href="https://t.co/rSHskfW1zQ">pic.twitter.com/rSHskfW1zQ</a>— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikenavallo/status/1081054972735762432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>He was also given the Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos Award, a statuette of judicial excellence, and a plaque of recognition.Tijam was joined by his family in unveiling his portrait.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/01/04/20190104-tijam.jpg"/><figcaption>Associate Justice Noel Tijam and his family also unveiled his portrait during a special en banc session of the Supreme Court, Jan. 4, 2019. Handout/SC Public Information Office</figcaption></figure></div>Tijam graduated with a degree in philosophy and political science from the San Beda College. He finished cum laude and was class salutatorian from the San Beda College of Law. He was only 22 when he passed the Bar Exams in 1971.Prior to his stint at the SC, he first served as a legal consultant in the Senate before joining the Government Service Insurance System.He was appointed presiding judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court in 1994 and was promoted to the Court of Appeals in 2003 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.Ten candidates have been shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council to replace Tijam.They are: Court of Appeals Associate Justices Manuel Barrios, Japar Dimaampao, Amy Lazar-Javier, Ramon Cruz, Ramon Garcia, Mario Lopez and Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, SC Court Administrator Midas Marquez, and former Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva.

Tijam was President Rodrigo Duterte's second appointee to the high court.

Supreme Court honors retiring Justice Tijam

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Supreme Court honors retiring Justice Tijam

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 04, 2019 03:51 PM PHT

|

Updated March 06, 2019 06:36 PM PHT

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Supreme Court

SC

Noel Tijam

associate justice

retirement

Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin

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