Court of Appeals justice named to Comelec

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Duterte has appointed Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Socorro Inting as the newest member of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Malacañang has yet to announce Inting’s designation as Comelec commissioner, but reliable sources confirmed her appointment.

With the appointment, Duterte now has four appointees among the seven Comelec commissioners.

Duterte earlier chose Sheriff Abas as Comelec chairman replacing Andres Bautista who resigned last year.

Comelec commissioners Christian Lim and Arthur Lim stepped down from the poll body last February as their terms had expired, leaving two vacancies.

A native of Davao City, Inting finished her law degree at Ateneo de Davao University in 1980.

She was a judge in Makati City metropolitan trial court for three years and in Manila regional trial court for nine years before her appointment to the CA in 2009.

She also served as a prosecutor for six years and a public attorney for seven years.

Inting was part of the CA’s 15th Division that reversed the ombudsman dismissal order against Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office director Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta, who was charged on the accreditation of an online computerized renewal system and courier delivery service contractor in 2013 through a decision in April 2016.

A member of the Tau Mu fraternity of the Ateneo de Davao University Law School, Inting was also elected treasurer of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Davao del Sur chapter in 1983.

Inting was also elected treasurer of the Philippine Judges Association from 2007 to 2009. – Edu Punay