MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed 16 new judges in Metro Manila and several provinces.
In a one-page transmittal letter received by the office of Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno in the Supreme Court (SC), the President has designated the judges to courts in Manila, Makati, Bacolod, Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Sorsogon and Abra.
Judges Alma Crispina Collado Lacorte, Maria Victoria Soriano Villadolid and Maria Sophia Solidum-Taylor were appointed to the Manila regional trial court (RTC).
Judge Cesar Aganon, on the other hand, was designated to the Makati City RTC.
In the provinces, Judge Maximino Ables was appointed to the Sorsogon City RTC.
Judges Francisco de Guzman was appointed to the San Jose RTC and Mario Andres Jr. to the Bugasong RTC, both in Antique.
Judges Alma Banias-Delfin and Lorencito Diaz were appointed to the Roxas City RTC and Judith Orendain-Tanogbanua to the Mambusao RTC, both in Capiz.
Judges Rose Edith Gautier Togonon, Ma. Theresa Enriquez-Gaspar and Judita Panigbatan-Nafarrete were designated to the Iloilo RTC.
Judge Edgar Tupas, on the other hand, was appointed to the Bacolod City RTC in Negros Occidental.
In the first-level courts, Judge Joselito Benedito was named to the 1st Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Pidigan-San Quintin-Langiden, Abra and Judge Camilo Oliva to the Municipal Trial Court of Claveria, Masbate.
The appointment letter was dated Dec. 17, 2014 but was released to the media Friday.
The appointees were screened by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) prior to their appointments. The seven-man council, which is constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees to the President for vacant posts in the judiciary and the Offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman, is chaired by Chief Justice Sereno, with two ex-officio members, namely Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
Retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez is the head of the executive committee and represents the retired SC justices. The other regular members of the JBC are lawyer Jose Mejia, representing the academe; retired Court of Appeals Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman, representing the private sector; and lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.