President Benigno Aquino III AFP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno III has appointed 18 new judges in various courts in the Visayas.
In a two page transmittal letter to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno received by the high court last June 27, newly appointed judges with their places of assignment are the following:
Western Visayas
- Judge Cicero Tuazon Lampasa – Kalibo, Aklan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2
- Judge Altone Miralles – Tacloban City RTC Branch 8
Central Visayas
- Judge Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio – Mandaue City RTC Branch 28 in Cebu
- Judge Laebeth Lungay Varquez – Tagbilaran City MTCC in Bohol
- Judge Yvette Christine Labrador-Soleng – MCTC Loay0Albuquerque-Baclayon, Bohol
- Judge Maria Corazon Calumbayan Gadugdug – MTCC Branch2, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
- Judge Leah Partosa – Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 1 in Bohol
- Judge Ma. Katrina Cabalde Gonzalez – 2nd MCTC Manjuyod-Ayungon-Bindoy Negros Oriental
Eastern Visayas
- Judge Girlie Borrel-Yu-Ormoc City RTC Branch 35
- Judge Rene Romero-Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) of Ormoc
- Judge Estefanie Plaza of MTC in Burauen, Leyte
- Judge Terso Ducentes – 1st Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Macrohon-Padre Burgos-Limasawa, Southern Leyte
- Judge Ritchie Reyes – 8th Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) of Daram-Zumarraga, Samar
- Judge Allan Sixto De Guia Estudillo – 3rd MCTC of Gandara-Matuguinao in San Jorge, Samar
- Judge Nathaniel Baldono – Regional Trial Court, Branch 2, Borongan, Eastern Samar
- Judge Fiel Ilumba Marmita – 4th MCTC of San Julian-Sulat in Eastern Samar
- Judge Gorgonia Pineda-Encina – 9th MCTC, Capul-San Vicente, Northern Samar
- Judge Reberna Balading Quibal – Catubig-Las Navas 4th MCTC in Northern Samar
The appointees were chosen by the Judicial and Bar Council, which is constitutionally mandated to screen applicants to the Judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The government hopes to fill up the vacancy in the Judiciary.
Records from the National Statistical and Coordination Board show that the number of judges decreased from 1,710 in 2007 to about 1,600 in 2009.