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Peralta takes oath as Supreme Court justice


MANILA, Philippines - Diosdado Peralta was sworn in Friday morning as the latest associate justice to join the 15-member Supreme Court. Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo said Chief Justice Reynato Puno presided over the oath-taking ceremony. The rest of the high court's magistrates were also present, the report added. An earlier dzBB report said Peralta's family accompanied him at the Supreme Court, where security was tightened for the oath-taking. Peralta was Sandiganbayan presiding justice before President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo named him as the associate justice to replace Ruben Reyes, who retired last January 3. Peralta was a member of the three-man Special Division of the Sandiganbayan that convicted former President Joseph Estrada Estrada of plunder. The new high court magistrate has been referred to as a "hanging judge" before his appointment to the Sandiganbayan because he had sentenced to death more than 40 people as a Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge. Six other SC justices are scheduled to retire this year: Adolf Azcuna on February 16, Dante Tinga on May 11, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago on October 5, Leonardo Quisumbing on November 6, Minita Chico-Nazario on December 5, and Ma. Alicia A. Martinez on December 19. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV
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