MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has appointed three new justices to the Court of Appeals (CA), the Supreme Court (SC) announced yesterday.
In a one-page transmittal signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. received by the SC last Monday, Malacañang appointed Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Carmelita Salandanan-Manahan, Makati RTC Judge Zenaida Galapate Laguilles and Cavite City RTC Judge Melchor Quirino Sadang to the CA.
Manahan and Laguilles have already taken their oaths of office before Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Manahan was recipient of the Judicial Excellence Awardee of the Justice Ramon Avancena Award, the highest honor given by the SC to career judges.
A graduate of Manuel L. Quezon University, Manahan passed the Bar in 1990 and served at the Public Attorney’s Office lawyer and at the Department of Justice (DOJ) before she became a judge.
Laguilles, on the other hand, is an expert in Remedial Law and Court procedures. She is teaching law subjects in various law schools including Philippine Christian University and Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Laguilles handled the case of the journalists who filed a P12.5-million class suit against the husband of the former president, Jose Miguel Arroyo.
Laguilles junked Arroyo’s motion to dismiss the case.
On the other hand, Sadang was a long time judge of Cavite City. He followed his late father, Judge Quirino Sadang.
Earlier this month, the Palace had appointed Regional trial court judges Victoria Isabel Paredes of Caloocan City, Abraham Borreta of
Pasig City, Pamela Ann Maxino of Guagua in Pampanga and Gabriel Ingles of Cebu City as new associate justices of the appellate court.
With the appointment of the three new justices, the CA has a full bench of justices.