MANILA, Sept. 1 -- The Supreme Court (SC) en Banc on Monday appointed Sandiganbayan Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta as the new Court Administrator.

Gomez-Estoesta took her oath before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at the Supreme Court Session Hall. She replaced former Court Administrator Raul Villanueva, who is now an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Gomez-Estoesta has served the government for 34 years. She began her career as a Solicitor at the Office of the Solicitor General from 1991 to 2002.

She joined the Judiciary in 2002 as Presiding Judge of Branch 6, Metropolitan Trial Court, Manila. In 2006, she was promoted as Presiding Judge of Branch 7 of the Manila Regional Trial Court. She held this position until 2...