MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed 24 new judges to fill the vacancies in several provinces.
Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno received the appointment papers of the new judges in Capiz, Leyte, Samar, Guimaras, Mountain Province, Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental last Jan. 14.
Among the new judges is Ferdinand Rafanan, director for planning of the Commission on Elections, who was appointed to the Mandaue City regional trial court (RTC) in Cebu.
Manuel Isidro Barrios, son of Court of Appeals Justice Manuel Barrios, and Bonifacia Carmen Ramos of the Roxas City municipal trial court were appointed to the Capiz RTC.
Also appointed were Leonito Sabandal to the Tacloban City RTC; Ernesto Peñaflor, Calbayog City RTC, and Jacinto Ell, San Juan, Leyte RTC.
The other new judges RTC judges are Rosario Abigail Dris-Villanueva (Jordan, Guimaras); Ricky Jones Macabaya and Jose Nathaniel Andal (Cebu City); Lindecita Cabaron Arcamo and Jorge Cabalit (Tagbilaran City), and Emerenciana Orquian Manook (Allen, Northern Samar).
In first-level courts, appointed were Manasseh Bastes to the Tacloban City municipal circuit trial court (MCTC); Renato Noel Echague (Borongan City); Alejo Calvo (Palapag, Northern Samar); Ulysses Loverita (San Jose Biri-Rosario, Northern Samar); Lorna Obus-Pades (Merida-Isabel, Leyte); Mayumi Gorme-Amora (Pintuyan-San Ricardo, Leyte); Donna Marie Cajigan-Daoas (Barlig-Sadanga, Mt. Province); Gaslito Dumpayan of Natonin-Paracelis (Mt. Province), and Dinah Tabada-Chu (Dumaguete City).