Makati judge promoted to Sandiganbayan justice

President Rodrigo Duterte has promoted a Makati City judge to associate justice of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

Duterte signed the appointment paper of Judge Edgardo Caldona of the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 65 on March 10, but this was received by the office of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno only on Tuesday.

Caldona replaced Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Jose Hernandez, who retired last November 16.

A graduate of the Ateneo De Manila University, Caldona had previously worked for the Sandiganbayan under then-Justice Sabino De Leon Jr. who later became Supreme Court justice.

The judge had also worked as court attorney under the late Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Caldona beat out fellow Makati City judges Maryann Corpus-Mañalac and Honorio Guanlao Jr., Aparri, Cagayan RTC Judge Oscar Zaldivar and lawyer Bayani Jacinto, a director at the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon for the post. —Virgil Lopez/KBK, GMA News