House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Thursday welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s appointment of University of the Philippines College of Law Dean Darlene Marie Berberabe as the country’s new Solicitor General, citing her qualifications to lead the government’s legal team amid complex constitutional issues and high-stakes cases.
“Newly appointed Solicitor General Berberabe is stepping in at a critical moment, and I have no doubt she is ready. Her legal expertise, leadership, and integrity make her the right choice to serve as the Republic’s chief legal defender,” Romualdez, a lawyer from UP and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) or the oldest association of legal luminaries in the country, said.
The leader of the 306-member House of Representatives pointed to pending cases before the Supreme Court (SC).
“This is not a ceremonial post. We need a Solicitor General who can stand firm before the Supreme Court, argue persuasively, and safeguard the legal interests of the State… Dean Berberabe has the intellect, experience, and independence to do just that,” Romualdez said.
“Her professional record is not only impressive — it is defined by discipline, fairness, and vision… I am confident she will lead the OSG with the same rigor and patriotism that have marked every chapter of her career,” he added.
Romualdez assured stakeholders that the House stands firmly behind the new Solicitor General as she takes on her mandate to represent the Republic in court and defend the Constitution.
Meanwhile, outgoing Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda expressed confidence that the government is in good standing with the Berberabe’s appointment.
“Darlene is one of the brightest lawyers of her generation, and has a full grasp of the government as a whole,” Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said.
“She will have a handle on even the most technical issues besetting government. Let’s give her time to settle in,” he added.
