Marcos fills Court of Appeals vacancies with three new justices

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has announced the appointment of three new associate justices to the Court of Appeals, filling all remaining vacancies in the appellate court. The Presidential Communications Office confirmed the appointments on Wednesday through a Facebook post. The three appointees are Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty, Parañaque Regional Trial Court Branch 294 Presiding Judge Leilani Marie Dacanay-Grimares, and a third justice whose name was included in the original announcement. The appointments address longstanding staffing gaps in the 69-member court, which handles civil and criminal appeals from lower courts nationwide. The Court of Appeals serves as a critical component of the Philippine judicial system, reviewing thousands of cases annually from regional trial courts and special courts across the country. The new justices will assume their duties following the formal completion of their appointment process. The appointments represent the latest judicial appointments made by the Marcos administration as it continues to fill key positions within the judiciary.