Noel Tijam

Noel Tijam
176th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Assumed office
March 8, 2017
President Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by Arturo Brion
Court of Appeals
In office
March 10, 2003 – March 8, 2017
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Personal details
Born (1949-01-05) January 5, 1949
San Miguel, Manila
Nationality Filipino
Spouse(s) Maria Cynthia Cornejo Tijam
Children 3
Alma mater San Beda College of Law
Profession Lawyer

Noel G. Tijam (born January 5, 1949, San Miguel, Manila) is a Filipino lawyer who was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 8, 2017. Prior to his appointment, he was a Justice of Court of Appeals from 2003 to 2017.

Early life and education

Tijam was born on January 5, 1949 in San Miguel, Manila. He attended San Beda College where he obtained a degree in Bachelor of Arts, Major in Philosophy and Political Science and graduated with magna cum laude honors in 1967. Under a full scholarship, he pursued Bachelor of Laws degree at the San Beda College of Law. He graduated with magna cum laude honors in 1971 from law school and was the salutatorian of his class. In the same year, he passed the Bar Examinations.[1]

Career

At the Philippine Senate, Tijam served as legal consultant who represented Senator Victor Ziga at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the Senate Economic Affairs Committee, Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Senate Ways and Means Committee, and the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.[1]

Tijam worked with the Government Service Insurance System as its Assistant Vice President and Deputy Corporate Secretary and later with the Manila Hotel Corporation and the Westin Philippine Plaza as Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary, and Comsavings Bank as Board Director.[1]

He was appointed as the presiding judge of Branch 221 of Quezon City's Regional Trial Court (RTC) in 1994 and served as President of the Quezon City RTC Judges Association.[1]

Court of Appeals

He was appointed Court of Appeals (CA) associate by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2003 and served until 2017. Among the cases he handled was the Maguindanao massacre case where he penned a CA resolution in 2011 against former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr in the case's list of respondents. Ampatuan made a petition against two CA resolution that may possibly indict him for the massacre but was junked by the court. The court also affirmed Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Zaldy Ampatuan as one of the suspects in the case.[2]

He also handled the case of Reynald Lim, the brother of Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Lim and his sister faced charges serious illegal detention for detaining their cousin Benhur Luy which led to Napoles' conviction in 2015. Lim attempted to stop his indictment and recall an arrest warrant issued against him through a petition but the CA junked the appeal.[2]

He authored the CA decision which upheld the closure of the bankrupt Banco de Oro.[3]

Supreme Court

On March 8, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Tijam as the 176th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He replaced Arturo Brion who retired on December 29, 2016.[3]

As a lecturer

At age 20 while pursuing his law studies in San Beda, he is already working with the Philippine School of Business Administration as a lecturer. After becoming a lawyer, he worked with the Phillippine Judicial Academy, Supreme Court where he is assigned to its Remedial Law Department as professorial lecturer. Under the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Program, he taught in seminars organized by the academy, at the University of the Philippines Law Center, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and numerous law firms.

Awards

Tijam was named among the finalist for the most outstanding Regional Trial Court Judges Award in 1999 which is conferred by the Foundation for Judicial Excellence. The Philippine Jaycees gave him Most Outstanding JAYCEE Award and was the recipient of the Junior Chamber International Senatorship Award which was given to him in 1997.

Personal life

Tijam is married to Maria Cynthia Cornejo Tijam with whom he has three children.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Associate Justice Noel G. Tijam". Court of Appeals. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 Francisco, Katerina (8 March 2017). "Who is SC Associate Justice Noel Tijam?". Rappler. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Duterte appoints fellow Bedan Noel Tijam as SC Associate Justice". CNN Philippines. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Arturo Brion		 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
March 08, 2017–present 		Incumbent
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