President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has designated former Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo as Acting Ombudsman, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced on Monday.

Punzalan-Castillo took her oath before Bersamin on Monday in Malacañang. She will serve as Acting Ombudsman following the retirement of Ombudsman Samuel Martires on July 27 after a seven-year term.

After graduating from the University of the Philippines College of Law and passing the Bar in 1979, Punzalan-Castillo became an investigator in the Office of the Tanodbayan (precursor of the Office of the Ombudsman).

She was promoted to Tanodbayan prosecutor in 1985 and appointed as Special Prosecution Officer III in the Office of the Special Prosecutor under the Office of the Ombudsman in 1989.

Castillo joined the judiciary in 1993 as a presiding judge at the Metropolitan Trial Court in Quezon City.

From 1999 to 2004, she served as a presiding judge at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Quezon City.

She was appointed an associate justice of the Court of Appeals on March 9, 2004. After nearly two decades, Castillo was named Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals in 2023.

After 31 years in the judiciary, Castillo retired in September 2024 with a zero case backlog.

President Marcos will select the next Ombudsman from a list submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.

With a non-renewable term of seven years, the Ombudsman is mandated to investigate complaints against government entities and officials, promote efficiency and integrity in public service, and ensure accountability. | PND