A recipient of the prestigious Judicial Excellence Award in 2003, Mr. Justice Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr. was a special commercial court judge, Executive Vice-President of the Philippine Judges' Association and 1st Vice-Executive Judge of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court when he was appointed to the Court of Appeals.

He served with distinction for eight years as a trial prosecutor in the Makati special courts, a review prosecutor, and member of several special task forces and committees of the Department of Justice. While a trial court judge, he taught night classes at UP Law School and did occasional public lectures. He served as a member of the technical working group of the Judiciary's Action Program for Judicial Reform. His eight years of exemplary service as a trial judge earned him an award for Judicial Excellence and eventual appointment to the Court. He has represented the country in several international conferences (Asia and Europe) during his stint as a trial judge and public prosecutor.

His earlier years saw him in the private sector as a management trainee in bonds and insurance; then, as financial analyst (corporate planning, financial controls and audits) while studying law in the evening. He also worked as a special/technical assistant in the local governance of Metropolitan Manila, serving concurrently at one time as Acting District Manager. He practiced law upon admission into the bar and was commissioned into the Armed Forces of the Philippines pursuant to a scholarship contract. He saw active duty and served as a regular officer of the AFP assigned to the Judge Advocate General Service, with various postings until his transfer to the civil prosecution service.

Mr. Justice Apolinario D. Bruselas, Jr. obtained his economics and law degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP). He hails from Tabaco, Albay. and is the 7th of eight children of a dentist farmer and a school teacher. He is married to Marie Angela P.M. Bruselas with whom he has three children.

Justice Bruselas has a wealth of experience honed by 30 years of law practice. He is a senior member of the court. He is the Chairman of the Computerization Committee that oversees the automation program of the Court and a member of the Internal Rules Committee as well. He is also with the Philippine Judicial Academy's (PHILJA) Corps of Professors, Department of Ethics and Judicial Conduct.