SC appoints Ingles as new exec. justice

CEBU, Philippines - Associate Justice Gabriel Ingles is the newly appointed executive justice of the Court of Appeals Cebu Station.

 Ingles told The FREEMAN in a phone interview that he assumed office on April 1 after he received the order of his appointment signed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Justice Antonio Carpio and Justice Presbitero Velasco, Jr. on March 28.

 He said after the retirement of executive justice Pampio Abarintos from the service on December 14, 2013, four associate justices were nominated in the vacant position.  Aside from him, other associate justices nominated were Edgardo Delos Santos, Pamela Ann Abella Maxino and Ramon Paul Hernando.

 â€œWhile the position of executive justice was vacant, delos Santos served as acting executive judge until such time the order of permanent appointment,” he said.

 In his letter addressed to his fellow justices, Ingles said that if he will be nominated for the position for executive justice he would decline. However, he was discouraged from doing it.

 â€œA few days after, acting Executive Justice Edsa graciously discouraged me from doing it, likewise Justice Mon who said that it might be taken by the Supreme Court that I was trying to escape from added responsibility,” he said thanking Delos Santos and Justice Mon and other justices for the support.

 Ingles said that his new appointment reminds him of Pope Francis, whom he looks up to, who said that such appointments was not about “honor, prestige or power but all about service.”

“…this, I strongly believe, is what being Executive Justice is all about. It’s about giving more of myself, walking extra mile, so that I can lead this station of the Court of Appeals in rendering better service to our people. A service that is noble because we are tasked to administer justice, justice which means giving everyone his due, irrespective of whether he/she is rich or poor, weak or powerful,” the letter reads.

 Ingles added that being an executive justice is not an easy task and he needs the support and cooperation of his colleagues.

 Furthermore, Ingles told The FREEMAN that during the visit of Sereno to the Palace of Justice in Qimonda IT Center at the North Reclamation Area recently, she made a surprise interview with them for the position.

 During an interview, Ingles told Sereno that his vision of the CA Cebu is “a court whose members, staff and employees are actively and faithfully bearing witness to the oath taken, to their respective code of conduct, and the civil service rules applicable.”

Ingles was born on February 27, 1952 in Tagbilaran City and is now residing in Talisay City with his family.

 On February 24, 2011, President Benigno Aquino III appointed him as associate justice of the Court of Appeals Cebu Station.

 Ingles studied law at the University of San Carlos where he graduated cum laude in 1981. He passed the bar exam that same year with a rating of 80.40.

 He was connected with different organizations, advocating human rights, environmental protection and preservation, among others.

 Prior to the Court of Appeals, Ingles was dean of the USC College of Law (1994-2000); chairman of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Visayas Regional Committee on Bar Discipline; president of IBP Cebu City Chapter; founding member, Philosophical Association of the Visayas and Mindanao; and presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court, Cebu City, Branch 58.

 Ingles declined to receive allowances from the Cebu City government and the Province of Cebu while being a trial court judge and an associate justice “in order to preserve not only actual but also the appearance of independence and impartiality of his court.”

 Ingles reportedly did not solicit any endorsement from anybody to support his appointments as judge and justice. — (FREEMAN)