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Evelyn Macairan - The Philippine Star
March 11, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Retired police Brig. Gen. Manuel Gaerlan marks a milestone by becoming the first chief marshal of the Supreme Court’s Office of the Judicial Marshal (SC-OJM).
Gaerlan took his oath before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at 2 p.m. yesterday at the SC Session Hall.
He was selected from a pool of 118 applicants after a rigorous selection process.
“Following a meticulous selection process, General Gaerlan was appointed the first Chief Marshal, marking a historic milestone in the Judiciary’s commitment to protecting its members and upholding judicial independence,” the SC said in a statement.
Gaerlan told The STAR that he is a distant cousin of SC Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan. The SC later confirmed that they are fourth-degree cousins.
As the inaugural chief marshal, Gaerlan will be responsible for establishing the Judiciary Marshals of the Philippines, a newly created uniformed service under Republic Act 11691, also known as the Judiciary Marshals Act.
“This is a new agency/uniformed service starting from scratch. I will lay the foundation for the Judiciary Marshals of the Philippines in the next two and a half years,” he said.
Gaerlan brings over 30 years of experience in security, intelligence, investigation and law enforcement.
A summa cum laude graduate and class valedictorian of the Philippine Military Academy (1985), he began his career as a cadet in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), rising to first lieutenant by 1988.
He later served 27 years in the Philippine National Police (PNP) before retiring in 2018.
Among his notable roles, Gaerlan was the aide-de-camp of former president Fidel Ramos for five years.
Following his retirement from law enforcement, he served as president and CEO of Clark Development Corp. until 2022 and was most recently chairman and chief finance officer of Prime Lift and Load Industries Inc.
His distinguished service has earned him multiple accolades, including the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award (2013), Best Senior Police Officer of the Year (2010), Outstanding Law Enforcer (2010) and Cavalier Award for Police Operations (2010).
The OJM was created under RA 11691 to address increasing threats against members of the judiciary.
It will work as an independent security and law enforcement agency separate from the AFP, PNP and National Bureau of Investigation.
As chief marshal, Gaerlan will lead efforts to ensure the security of judges, court personnel and judiciary properties nationwide.
The SC said he will be supported by three deputy marshals assigned to Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
The exact number of judiciary marshals will be determined later, Gaerlan said.
