PNoy appoints 18 new judges in nine provinces in the Visayas

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed 18 new lower court judges in nine provinces in the Visayas.

In a two-page transmittal letter, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the new judges would be appointed in regional, municipal, and municipal circuit trial courts in Aklan, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Negros Oriental, Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar.

"I am pleased to transmit herewith the appointment letters of the following, signed by His Excellency, President Benigno S. Aquino III," said Ochoa in his letter to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

The new appointees included Judge Cicero Tuazon Lampasa of Kalibo, Aklan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2.

In Leyte, the four appointees were Judges Altone Miralles of the Tacloban City RTC Branch 8; Girlie Borrel-Yu of the Ormoc City RTC Branch 35; Rene Romero of the Ormoc City Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC); and Estefanie Plaza of the Burauen Municpal Trial Court (MTC).

Meanwhile, Judge Terso Ducentes was assigned to the 1st MCTC in Macrohon-Padre Burgos-Limasawa, Southern Leyte.

In Samar, Aquino appointed Judges Ritchie Reyes of 8th Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) of Daram-Zumarraga; and Allan Sixto De Guia Estudillo of 3rd MCTC of Gandara-Matuguinao in San Jorge.

Judges Nathaniel Baldono and Fiel Ilumba Marmita, meanwhile, were assigned to the Borongan RTC Branch 2 and 4th MCTC of San Julian-Sulat in Eastern Samar, respectively.

In Northern Samar, appointed were Judges Gorgonia Pineda-Encina of the Capul-San Vicente 9th MCTC and Reberna Balading Quibal of the Catubig-Las Navas 4th MCTC.

In Cebue, Judge Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio was appointed to the Mandaue City RTC Branch 28.

Judge Laebeth Lungay Varquez, meanwhile, is the new judge of the Tagbilaran City MTCC Branch 1 in Bohol, while Judge Yvette Christine Labrador-Soleng of Loay-Albuquerque-Baclayon was assigned to the 13th MCTC, also in Bohol.

In Negros Oriental, three new judges were appointed including Judge Maria Corazon Calimbayan Gadugdug of the Dumaguete City MTCC Branch 2; Judge Leah Partosa Villarubia of the Pamplona-Amlan-San Jose 1st MCTC and Judge Ma. Katrina Cabalde Gonzalez of the Manjuyod-Ayungon-Bindoy 2nd MCTC.

Aquino picked the new judges from a shortlist prepared by the Judicial and Bar Council, which is constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees for vacant positions in the judiciary and the Offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman.

The JBC is chaired by Sereno, and has two other ex-officio members including Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and one representative from Congress.

The JBC also has four regular members including former SC Associate Justice Regino Hermosisima, former Court of Appeals justice Aurora Lagman, Integrated Bar of the Philippines' Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, and Jose Mejia representing the academe. — Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News