Cebu City has new prosecutor

CEBU, Philippines - Lawyer Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas is the new Cebu City Prosecutor.

Rabillas, 48, was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III to lead the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office after Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon retired from the service in 2014 at the age of 62, three years ahead of the compulsory retirement age of 65.

Rabillas told The FREEMAN that she learned of her appointment last February 1, and officially took her oath of office before Executive Justice Gabriel Ingles of the Court of Appeals-Cebu on the next day.

The lady prosecutor said she did not expect to be chosen and was therefore thankful for the opportunity, having chosen the prosecution in 2004 over the judiciary.

“I think I may retire as city prosecutor,” she said.

Rabillas, who has been serving as prosecutor for 16 years, earned her degree in Bachelor of Laws from the San Sebastian College-Recoletos in Manila and passed the bar in 1995.

She said there will be changes under her leadership to improve the quality of service of the office.

Aside from Rabillas, Naruzen Lorete of the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office was promoted to Prosecutor III; while Prosecutors Leah Cruz, Jill Ann Paculba-Gealon, Fatima Asjali-Maadil, Ma. Liza Jorda, Ma. Johanna Desamparado-Calustre, Venice Balansag, Genevieve Tabada, Benison Harayo, Misty Leah Escolar-Hupp, Maria Lourdes Bragat-Quilitorio, Jennifer Karen Alo-Leyson, Tranne Digao-Ferrer and Ferdinand Collantes were promoted to Prosecutor II.

Cebu Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba, on the other hand, said that in her office, Jose Edwin Renegado was promoted to Prosecutor IV; while Jerome Abarca, Liewellyn Bonghanoy, Maruel Daguinod, Ivy Gonzales, Dionilo Mantos, Reynaldo Menchavez Jr., Ethel Miel, Gerry Robertson Mira, Al Rey Ouano and Alwen Paqueo were promoted toProsecutor II.

Izra Pala of the Office of the City Prosecutor in Bogo City, Cebu and Mary Francis Daquipil of Mandaue City Prosecutor’s Office were both promoted to Prosecutor II also. At the Carcar City Prosecutor’s Office, Mildred Antepuesto was promoted to Prosecutor III, Ryan Sojor to Prosecutor II, and Olive Grace Hebron to Prosecutor I.

 Meanwhile, lawyer Virgilio Mendez, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director, issued a special order reassigning regional directors, assistant regional directors and agents to other NBI offices.

NBI -7 Director Ricardo A. Diaz will be head Region III Central Luzon Regional office in San Fernando City, Pampanga, exchanging places with Director Jose Justo S. Yap.

NBI-7 Assistant Regional Director Augusto Eric Isidoro will now lead the Region 12 Central Mindanao Regional Office in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.  He will be replaced by head agent Ernesto Macabare as acting ARD.

Other agents who will be assigned to NBI-7 in Cebu City were Supervising Agent Allan Tubi as officer-in-charge for Cyber Crime Cluster; Special Investigator Rojun Hosillos as head of the Cyber Crime Cluster-Forensic; and Agents Gerardo Tamayo and Danilo Cabanlet.

NBI-7 Supervising Agents Gregorio Algoso, Jr. and Reynaldo Villordon will be reassigned to Region 10 North Eastern Mindanao Regional Office in Cagayan De Oro City, while Special investigator III Teodoro Saavedra will be moved to the NBI Dumaguete District Office in Dumaguete City.  — (FREEMAN)