17 shortlisted for CA posts

MANILA, Philippines — The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has submitted to President Duterte 17 names in its shortlist for Court of Appeals (CA) justices.

Duterte will appoint four new members of the CA to replace Associate Justice Jose Reyes Jr. who was appointed to the Supreme Court and three others who retired in 2018.

Three associate justices of the appellate court retired last year: Magdangal de Leon, Renato Francisco and Romulo Borja.

Among the nominees is Manila Judge Alfredo Ampuan, who inhibited from hearing the criminal charges against members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity over the hazing-death of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio “Atio” Castillo III.

Another aspirant is Angeles City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 56 Judge Irin Zenaida Buan, who is handling the case in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.

Also in the list is Manila RTC Branch 37 Executive Judge Virgilio Macaraig, who issued search warrants for the authorities to raid the resort owned by Batuan, Masbate Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson as well as the house of Batuan Mayor Charmax Yuson, where firearms were allegedly recovered.

Other nominees for the CA posts include Muntinlupa Judge Philip Aguinaldo; Manila Judges Jean Marie Villena and Emily San Gito; Quezon City Judges Eleuterio Bathan and Angeline Mary Sale as well as Vice Executive Judge Rosanna Fe Romero-Maglaya; San Mateo, Rizal Judge Lily Biton; Makati Judges Carlito Calpatura, Maximo de Leon, Encarnacion Jaja Moya and Bonifacio Pascua; Davao City Executive Judge Emmanuel Carpio;  Tuguegarao City Judge Raymond Reynold Lauigan, and Assistant Solicitor General John Emmanuel Madamba.

In a separate letter, the JBC forwarded to the President a shortlist of six nominees to the Court of Tax Appeals to replace CTA Associate Justices Lovelle Bautista and Caesar Casanova, who retired last year. 

The JBC nominated Henry Angeles, Jean Marie Villena, Lorenza Bordios, Ma. Celestina Mangrobang, Olivia Samar and Maria Rowena San Pedro. 

The council is chaired by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin with Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Rep. Paulino Salvador Leachon as ex-officio members.

JBC member Maria Milagros Cayosa applied for the CTA position, but her name was not included in the list.