MANILA (UPDATE)- Newly retired Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Antonio Kho, Jr. has been appointed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court, an official said Wednesday.

SC Public Information Officer Brian Hosaka said the appointment papers of Kho was received by the high court through the Office of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo earlier in the day.

Kho, who retired from the Comelec earlier this month, is taking the place of retired Justice Rosmari Carandang.

• Comelec chairman, 2 pang commissioners nagretiro na

JUST IN: Two sources from the Supreme Court and the Judicial and Bar Council have confirmed to ABS-CBN News that recently-retired Comelec commissioner Antonio Kho, Jr. is the newest SC associate justice, to take the place of retired Justice Rosmari Carandang.
📸Comelec pic.twitter.com/Pez2VgND6M

— Mike Navallo (@mikenavallo) February 23, 2022

In a statement, Malacañang congratulated Kho and wished him success.

"We are confident that he will continue to dispense justice to every man, woman and child with integrity, impartiality and fairness," said acting Palace spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

Prior to his appointment as Comelec commissioner in 2018, Kho, a fraternity brother of President Rodrigo Duterte at the San Beda College of Law, was an undersecretary of the Department of Justice.

• Duterte frat brod gets CA nod as Comelec commissioner

He practiced law from 1991 to 2016, and taught in Arellano, San Beda and De La Salle law schools.

A native of Zamboanga City, he obtained his law degree from San Beda College of Law and placed 10th in the 1991 Bar Examinations.

Kho had initially applied for the SC post vacated by retired SC AJ Edgardo delos Santos last year, but withdrew his application.

• READ: Comelec commissioner, COA chief among 10 vying for SC post

- report from Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News