Ampatuan massacre trial judge shortlisted for Court of Appeals justice post
MANILA, Philippines — The judge who handed down the historic ruling convicting members of the Ampatuan clan for the gruesome 2009 massacre of 57 has been shortlisted to become a justice of the Court of Appeals.
The Judicial and Bar Council on Wednesday released its shortlist of 36 names for the six vacant associate justice seats at the appellate court.
Solis-Reyes holds sala at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221. In December 2019, she convicted the Ampatuan brothers Datu Andal and Zaldy, and 28 others over the massacre.
The six vacant spots at the CA opened up following the promotion of four to the Supreme Court and the compulsory retirement of two others.
Others who are part of the list are Assistant Solicitor General Henry Angeles and Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Lanee Cui-David.
David and her husband Stephen founded the David, Cui-David, Buenaventura and Ang Offices, the law firm that Janet Lim-Napoles, believed to be the brains behind the pork barrel scam, hired in 2014 to defend her in cases at the Sandiganbayan.
Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Selma Palacio Alaras has also been named to the shortlist. Alaras convicted a Chinese national in May 2019 for selling 2.8 kilos of shabu the previous year, and a Mexican national believed to be a member of the Sinaloa international drug cartel, on drug trading.
Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, a former JBC member representing the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, is also shortlisted, along with Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Michael Ong and Presidential Assistant Jennifer Joy Ong of the Office of the Appointments Secretary.
The JBC has also released its shortlist, containing 15 names, for the two vacant seats at the Court of Tax Appeals, following the retirement of two of its associate justices.
BIR’s David, Assistant Solicitor General Angeles and Presidential Assistant Ong are also nominated for the CTA posts.
The JBC has also released the shortlist for the Sandiganbayan associate justice seat vacated by Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz who passed away on February 21.
The three lists have been submitted to the President Rodrigo Duterte who will appoint the new officials of the Judiciary.
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