ANOTHER Thomasian rose to the Supreme Court as President Macapagal-Arroyo appointed her former chief of staff, Renato Corona, to the Supreme Court (SC) last April 10.
Corona occupied the seat vacated by Justice Bernardo Pardo who retired last Feb. 11.
While he was taking up his doctorate in Civil Law at the UST Graduate School (USTGS), Corona was named Most Outstanding Student for SY 2000-2001 that recognized his appointment as presidential adviser, presidential spokesman and chief of staff.
Also a Thomasian, Pardo personally nominated Corona last September, five months before he retired at the age of 70.
Corona was one of the top 11 nominees named by the Judicial Bar Council (JBC) composed of representatives from the academe, Congress, and retired SC and Court of Appeals members.
UST-GS faculty secretary Dr. Anthony Vasco said Corona’s installation was a “well deserved” appointment since Corona earned his master’s degree in Harvard Law School as a Vivian V. Allen scholar in 1982.
“With all his experience, brilliance and training, (it’s) about time (for him to be appointmed). A man who exudes moral integrity, professionalism, and conscientiousness will greatly contribute to the judiciary,” Vasco said.
Corona earned his baccalaureate degree in Law, with honors, at the Ateneo Law School in 1974. He was active in the movement to bring down the late Ferdinand Marcos after the 1983 assassination of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.
From 1996 to 1998, he served as deputy executive secretary and head of the Malacañang Legal Office. In 1998, he was named Chief Presidential Legal Counsel with the rank of secretary under the Estrada administration while serving as chief of staff of then Vice-President Arroyo.
