Aquino names Philippines' 1st female chief justice

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- President Benigno Aquino III has appointed the Philippines' first female Supreme Court chief justice after her predecessor was removed for violating the constitution.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Friday that Aquino was confident Maria Lourdes Sereno will lead judicial reforms.

She has been an associate justice on the 15-member tribunal since 2010 and was formerly a law professor.

The 52-year-old Sereno will serve until retirement at 70.

Former chief justice Renato Corona was impeached and convicted in May for not disclosing his $2.4 million bank accounts. Aquino called Corona an obstacle in his anti-corruption campaign.

Sereno was one of the minority members of the court who voted in favor of the Aquino government's order to stop former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from leaving the country allegedly to evade corruption charges.

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