Four new judges expected to fill RTC branches here

Four new judges have reportedly been appointed to preside vacant branches of the Regional Trial Court in the Palace of Justice, according to RTC executive judge Simeon Dumdum Jr.

Dumdum however said he has yet to receive a communication from the Supreme Court on the matter but his sources there already told him that the appointment of the four judges has been confirmed.

The four are judges Gilbert Moises, Manuel D. Patalinghug, Ramon Daomilas Jr., and Sylva Aguirre-Paderanga.

Dumdum said that Moises will be the presiding judge of RTC branch 18, which was left vacant with the retirement of judge Galicano Arriesgado.

Patalinghug will be the judge of RTC branch 22, left vacant with the promotion of judge Pampio Abarintos as associate justice of the Court of Appeals.

Daomilas will take RTC branch 11, left vacant for a while when judge Isaias Dicdican was promoted to associate justice of the Court of Appeals.

Paderanga will be at RTC branch 16, which was under judge Agapito Hontanosas before he was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

An insider at the Palace of Justice however said the entry of the four new judges is not an assurance that the backlog of cases will be solved because they are also judges of other courts outside Cebu City.

Moises is currently the presiding judge of the Municipal Trial Court in Barili town while Patalinghug is the judge of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities of Danao City.

Daomilas is a judge in Ozamiz City, and Paderanga is currently the judge of RTC branch 25 in Danao City.

The appointment of the four will leave three branches still unfilled. These are branches 12-left vacant by judge Aproniano Taypin who retired from the service; branch 8-once under judge Antonio Echavez who also retired; and branch 6-under judge Anacleto Caminade whose resignation was accepted by the Supreme Court a few days ago.

A clerk of court of one of the RTC branches said each branch handles an average of 475 cases. He said lack of judges, aside from the usual practice of lawyers to request for postponements of the scheduled hearing, has been the main reason of delay in the disposal of cases. - Rene U. Borromeo