MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed 11 new judges for Mountain Province, Masbate and for the provinces in the Bicol region.
The judges’ appointment papers, dated Nov. 27 and signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., were submitted to the office of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno early last week.
Judges Jocelyn Pespes-Humiwat was appointed to the second municipal circuit trial court in Buko-Sabangan, Mountain Province; Jezebel Almodal-Espinosa to the third MCTC in San Fernando-Batuan, Masbate, and Joyce Gaballo Llacer to the eighth MCTC in San Jacinto-Monreal, also in Masbate.
For the Bicol region, Annielyn Medes-Cabelis was appointed new judge of the Albay Regional Trial Court Branch 12 in Ligao City.
For the region’s first level court, appointed were Joseph Raymond Borja in Legaspi City, Alfredo Arneil Ramos in Pio Duran, and Cesar Malazarte in Rapu Rapu, all in Albay; Marlon Bacuno in Camarines Norte; Ammelina Bernadette Corazon Palma-Crescini and Rebecca Obsequio Bagasala in Camarines Sur, and Carlo Martin Adille in Catanduanes.
The appointees were screened by the Judicial and Bar Council prior to their appointments.
The seven-man council, which is mandated to screen nominees for vacant posts in the judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman, is chaired by Sereno with Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as ex-officio members.