Malacañang has appointed seven new judges for the Ilocos Region and Bicol Region.
In a Nov. 27, 2015 transmittal letter sent to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal-Sereno, President Aquino, through Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., said he had appointed new lower court judges.
The new judges would be assigned in the Municipal and Regional Trial Courts in Mt. Province, Ilocos, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Camarines Norte.
Named new judges for the Ilocos Region were Judge Kode Garlejo Daoas of the MTC, Tadian, Mt. Province and Judge Vida Advento Cortez-Jimeno of the 12th MCTC, Tagudin-Sayo, Ilocos Sur.
For the Bicol Region, the new judges are Judge Maria Clarissa Lianko Pacis-Trinidad of the RTC Branch 36 of Iriga City, Camarines Sur; Judge Soliman M. Santos Jr. of the RTC Branch 61, Naga City, Camarines Sur. Judge Teofilo B. Tambago of the RTC Branch 46, Masbate City, Masbate; Judge Jonel C. Martinez-Ursua of the MTC, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte and Judge Dara San Juan Mallorca-Torres of MTC Paracale, Camarines Norte.
The Judicial and Bar Council screened the appointees prior to their appointments. The seven-member council, which is constitutionally mandated to screen and vet nominees to the President for vacant posts in the judiciary and the Offices of the Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman, is chaired by Chief Justice Sereno, with ex-officio members, namely Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas and Justice Benjamin Caguioa.
Retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez is the head of the Executive Committee and represents the Retired SC Justice Sector; lawyer Jose Mejia representing the Academe, retired Court of Appeals Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman representing the private sector and lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines are the other regular members of the JBC.