Pasay judge named to CA

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed Pasay Regional Trial Court Judge Pedro Corales as new justice of Court of Appeals (CA).

Corales takes the place of Associate Justice Ruben Ayson, who had retired last March.

The new magistrate’s appointment paper was received by the Office of Chief Justice Renato Corona, as confirmed in a one-page letter of the Supreme Court chief to Clerk of Court Enriqueta Esguerra Vidal.

Corona’s letter stated that Aquino signed the appointment of Corales on Nov. 11, and he sent Vidal a copy along with the “transmittal letter of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, dated Dec. 19, 2011, which was received by the Supreme Court on Dec. 21, 2011.”

Corales was handpicked by the President from a list of five judges recommended by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC.)

Among those who vied for the post were Que­zon City RTC Judges Maria Luisa Padilla, Severino de Castro Jr., and Maria Elisa Sempio-Diy and Guagua, Pampanga RTC Judge Jonel Mercado.

The President is expected to appoint another CA justice. Manila City Prosecutor Jhoseph Lopez topped the shortlist of the JBC for the vacancy in the appellate court left by the promotion to the Supreme Court of Justice Bienvenido Reyes.

Lopez received a unanimous nod from all eight members of the JBC, chaired by Chief Justice Corona during the voting earlier this month.