Former Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva officially took his oath as the 195th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines on June 10, 2025, at the Supreme Court Session Hall in Manila.
Justice Villanueva is the first appointee to the Supreme Court by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo administered the oath, witnessed by Justice Villanueva’s family and colleagues. They were joined by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Rodil V. Zalameda, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Jhosep Y. Lopez, and Japar B. Dimaampao.
Justice Villanueva brings with him over 20 years of experience in the Judiciary. He began his judicial career in 2002 as Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 255, Las Piñas City. He also served concurrently as Acting Presiding Judge in two other courts: a drugs court in Taguig City and a family court in Manila.
In 2009, he was appointed Executive Judge of the RTC in Las Piñas. A year later, he became Deputy Court Administrator, supervising courts across Judicial Regions 1 to 12. He rose to the position of Court Administrator in 2022, managing over 2,000 judges and 26,000 court personnel nationwide. A native of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, he was the first Court Administrator from Region I.
Under his leadership, the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) implemented key reforms, including the creation of the Office of the Regional Court Manager. This initiative helped decentralize administrative functions, allowing judges to concentrate more on resolving cases. During his term, case disposition rates in the first- and second-level courts improved from 40% in 2021 to 49% in 2024.
He also issued several important OCA circulars to help and guide the trial courts. These include OCA Circular No. 43-2022, which provided protocols for videoconferencing hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic; OCA Circular No. 106-2022, which established procedures for videoconferencing hearings involving deaf litigants and witnesses; and OCA Circular No. 201-2022, which aimed to expedite the release of persons deprived of liberty who have completed service of their sentence.
In addition to these initiatives, he signed 11,493 appointments of court personnel in the first- and second-level courts, accounting for about 41.3% of all currently filled positions in the lower courts.
Before joining the Judiciary, Justice Villanueva worked in Congress, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Privatization and Management Office, and in private legal practice. He also held leadership roles in the Philippine Judges Association, where he advocated for better pay and benefits for judges.
A dedicated educator, he has taught various subjects at the New Era University College of Law, the University of the Philippines Law Center, and the Philippine Judicial Academy.
In 2023, the University of the Philippines Alumni Association honored him with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Court Administration and Public Service, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Judiciary. More recently, he was commended by the Presidential and National Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorism Financing and Counter-Proliferation Financing Coordinating Committee for his invaluable contributions, exemplary dedication, proven expertise, and utmost professionalism—qualities that were instrumental in the Philippines’ successful removal from the Financial Action Task Force Grey List.
Justice Villanueva graduated valedictorian from the Narvacan South Central School. He finished high school with honors at Lourdes School of Quezon City and earned his Economics degree in 1985, and Law degree in 1990—both from the University of the Philippines.
His appointment to the Supreme Court marks a new chapter in a career dedicated to justice, reform, and public service. (Press release courtesy of the Supreme Court Office of Spokesperson)
Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Raul B. Villanueva (fifth from left) with his fellow SC Justices during his oath-taking on June 10, 2025, at the SC Session Hall in Manila. From left: SC Associate Justices Jhosep Y. Lopez, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, and Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa; Justice Villanueva; Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo; Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen; and Associate Justices Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Rodil V. Zalameda, and Japar B. Dimaampao. (Photo courtesy of the SC Communications Office)
Originally published by the Supreme Court Public Information Office.
