Manila: The Supreme Court (SC) en Banc has appointed Sandiganbayan Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta as the new Court Administrator. Gomez-Estoesta took her oath before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at the Supreme Court Session Hall, succeeding former Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, who now serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
According to Philippines News Agency, Gomez-Estoesta has a 34-year career in government service. She began her journey as a Solicitor at the Office of the Solicitor General from 1991 to 2002. In 2002, she joined the Judiciary as the Presiding Judge of Branch 6, Metropolitan Trial Court, Manila, and was promoted in 2006 to the Presiding Judge of Branch 7 of the Manila Regional Trial Court. She held this role until 2014 when she was appointed to the Sandiganbayan, where she chaired the Seventh Division.
Court Administrator Gomez-Estoesta is recognized for her accomplishments, having received multiple awards for judicial excellence. She was awarded the Most Outstanding Judge for First-Level Courts and Best Decision in Criminal Cases Awards in 2005. In 2012, she was honored with the Chief Justice Cayetano Arellano Award as the Most Outstanding Judge for Second-Level Courts.
Since 2015, Gomez-Estoesta has been imparting her knowledge as a faculty member at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law and as a Professorial Lecturer at the Philippine Judicial Academy. Additionally, she contributed as a Bar Examiner for Remedial Law and Legal Ethics in the 2024 Bar Examinations. Her academic credentials include a law degree from Ateneo de Manila University and a Political Science degree from De La Salle University, where she graduated cum laude and received the Gold Medal for Excellence in Political Science.
The Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) was established under Presidential Decree No. 828, amended by PD 842, to assist the Supreme Court in the management and supervision of all courts nationwide. As part of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the OCA is in the process of modernization to enhance its responsiveness, service orientation, and regional support.
A Central OCA Leadership Team, led by the Court Administrator, will spearhead setting the overall strategy, policy direction, and innovation initiatives for the trial courts.
