<P> The Chief Justice of the Philippines (Filipino: Punong Mahistrado ng Pilipinas) presides over the Supreme Court of the Philippines and is the highest judicial officer of the government of the Philippines . As of October 10, 2018, the position is officially vacant, following the mandatory retirement of Teresita Leonardo - De Castro, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte following the removal via quo warranto on May 11, 2018 of her de facto predecessor Maria Lourdes Sereno . </P> <P> The Chief Justice, who was first named in June 11, 1901 in the person of Cayetano Arellano, is the oldest existing major governmental office continually held by a Filipino, preceding the presidency and vice presidency (1935), senators (1916, or as the Taft Commission, in September 1, 1901) and the members of the House of Representatives (1907 as the Philippine Assembly). </P> <P> The power to appoint the chief justice lies with the president, who makes the selection from a list of three nominees prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council . There is no material difference in the process of selecting a chief justice from that in the selection of associate justices . As with the other justices of the Supreme Court, the chief justice is obliged to retire upon reaching the age of 70; otherwise there is no term limit for the chief justice . In the 1935 constitution, any person appointed by the president has to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments; in the 1973 constitution, the person whom the president has appointed won't have to go confirmation under the Commission on Appointments . </P> <P> The Constitution does not ascribe any formal role to the chief justice other than as an ex-officio chairman of the Judicial and Bar Council and as the presiding officer in any impeachment trial of the president . The chief justice is also required to personally certify every decision that is rendered by the court . He or she carries only 1 vote out of 15 in the court, and is generally regarded, vis - a-vis the other justices, as the primus inter pares rather than as the administrative superior of the other members of the court . </P>

This person appoints the chief justice of the supreme court