The President of the Republic of the Philippines, Pres. Benigno Aquino III has appointed 19 new judges in various courts in the Visayas region. The confirmation was made through a two page transmittal letter to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
The appointees were chosen by the Judicial and Bar Council, which is constitutionally mandated to screen applicants to the Judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman.
According to the records of the National Statistical and Coordination Board show that the number of judges decreased from 1,710 in 2007 to about 1,600 in 2009.
The transmittal letter was received by the high court last June 27, newly appointed judges with their places of (–foul word(s) removed–)ignments are enumerated below:
Western Visayas
- Judge Cicero Tuazon Lampasa – Kalibo, Aklan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2
- Judge Altone Miralles – Tacloban City RTC Branch 8 (***some doubt with this)
Central Visayas
- Judge Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio – Mandaue City RTC Branch 28 in Cebu
- Judge Laebeth Lungay Varquez – Tagbilaran City MTCC in Bohol
- Judge Yvette Christine Labrador-Soleng – MCTC Loay0Albuquerque-Baclayon, Bohol
- Judge Maria Corazon Calumbayan Gadugdug – MTCC Branch2, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
- Judge Leah Partosa – Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 1 in Bohol
- Judge Ma. Katrina Cabalde Gonzalez – 2nd MCTC Manjuyod-Ayungon-Bindoy Negros Oriental
Eastern Visayas
- Judge Girlie Borrel-Yu-Ormoc City RTC Branch 35
- Judge Rene Romero-Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) of Ormoc
- Judge Estefanie Plaza of MTC in Burauen, Leyte
- Judge Terso Ducentes – 1st Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Macrohon-Padre Burgos-Limasawa, Southern Leyte
- Judge Ritchie Reyes – 8th Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) of Daram-Zumarraga, Samar
- Judge Allan Sixto De Guia Estudillo – 3rd MCTC of Gandara-Matuguinao in San Jorge, Samar
- Judge Nathaniel Baldono – Regional Trial Court, Branch 2, Borongan, Eastern Samar
- Judge Fiel Ilumba Marmita – 4th MCTC of San Julian-Sulat in Eastern Samar
- Judge Gorgonia Pineda-Encina – 9th MCTC, Capul-San Vicente, Northern Samar
- Judge Reberna Balading Quibal – Catubig-Las Navas 4th MCTC in Northern Samar
