Nominees to CA, Sandigan bared

The Judicial and Bar Council on Friday nominated 12 lower court judges and lawyers to vacancies in the Court of Appeals and the antigraft court Sandiganbayan.

Six regional trial court judges and one lawyer were nominated for a seat in the Court of Appeals which will be vacated when Justice Francisco Acosta retires on April 2.

The nominees were: Gregorio dela Peña, Zamboanga City RTC; Joselito Vibandor, Las Piñas City RTC; Merianthe Pacita Zuraek, Manila RTC; Jeoffre Acebido, Cagayan de Oro City RTC; Anisah Amanodin-Umpa, Iligan City RTC; Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon, Quezon City RTC; and private practitioner Walter Ong.

Five RTC judges and one government lawyer were nominated for a seat in the Sandiganbayan that was vacated by Justice Roland Hurado who filed for optional retirement effective last Feb. 1.

The nominees were: Muntinlupa City RTC judge Philip Aguinaldo; Makati City RTC judge Maryann Corpus-Manalac; Pasig RTC judge Danilo Cruz; QCRTC judge Rosanna Fe Romero-Maglaya; and lawyer Bayani Jacinto, acting director of the prosecution and monitoring unit of the Office of the Ombudsman.

A total of 55 judges and lawyers applied for one or both positions. Most of them were interviewed by the JBC from March 1 to 3. The others were already interviewed when they applied for other vacant positions.

The JBC, chaired by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, screens applicants and votes for nominees to top positions in the judiciary, as well as the position of Ombudsman, deputy ombudsman and special prosecutor.

The President, in turn, appoints from the nominees.

Under Article VIII, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution, he has 90 days to make the appointment once the list is given to his office.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has approved the early retirement of another Sandiganbayan justice, Ma. Cristina Cornejo, for reasons of disability and granted her full benefits even if she has not yet reached  the mandatory retirement age of 70.

According to the high court’s resolution, Cornejo has been suffering from cerebrovascular, colon and kidney ailments.

Cornejo, whom turned 66 last March 1, has been on sick leave since June 2016.

Noting Cornejo’s 39-year government service, 30 years of which were spent in the judiciary, the high court, in a resolution written by Justice Marvic Leonen, noted: “Justice Cornejo’s long and dedicated service warrants no less than all the benefits that the law allows for her condition. Like many others, the hazards and difficulties of sitting in the bench take their toll on the best among us.”

Cornejo’s case was earlier brought to the Supreme Court’s attention by Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang, who also wrote  Sereno requesting for Cornejo’s optional retirement.

“We rule to grant the request for retirement, but with modification. However, in light of Justice Cornejo’s actual medical condition, this Court will treat her letter request as one for retirement due to disability,” the high court ruled, ordering that Cornejo’s benefits be processed with dispatch.