ELEVEN new judges for Cebu have been appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to fill up positions in the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), including newly opened courts.
There are at least six new MTCC courts in Cebu City and two in Lapu-Lapu City.
The list of the newly appointed judges were transmitted to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno by Acting Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
Among the appointees who will soon be members of the bench are Fritz Ritchie Navarro Avila for the lone MTCC in Naga City; Jennifer Maniwang, MTCC 1 in Mandaue City; Dinah Jane Portugal, MTCC 2, Lapu-Lapu City; Maryther Budomo, MTCC 3, Lapu-Lapu City; Amy Rose Rellin, MTCC 9, Cebu City; Pamela Monica Arbuis, MTCC 10, Cebu City; Vivien Leigh Lumangtad, MTCC 11, Cebu City; Tranne Ferrer, MTCC 12, Cebu City; Virginia Vivencita Monteclar, MTCC 13, Cebu City; Irish Amores, MTCC 14, Cebu City; and Ameli Estrada for the 7th Municipal Circuit Trial Court covering the municipalities of Liloan and Compostela.
Lawyer Elaine Bathan, governor of the Eastern Visayas Region of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), said the newly appointed judges will not start their office immediately as they still have to undergo several steps such as the acceptance of their appointments and the taking of their oaths.
Bathan explained that the new judges will also have to undergo training at the Philippine Judicial Academy as well as an immersion with the courts.
On top of the procedural aspect, Bathan said other factors also need to be considered such as the budget of the Supreme Court and logistics.
“The next issue there that needs to be attended to is the budget of the Supreme Court for these offices because for every branch of the court, MTCC or RTC, naa man na’y budget so it will depend also on the court and how fast the Supreme Court can fund these courts. If wala pa na na-fundingan, dili ka-operate, asa man ka og pang-sweldo for your staff because the judge will have to hire his own staff as well. Budget man na sa judiciary so will have to check it if readily available na ba but regardless, we are still happy because it’s just a matter of processing already kaysa sa wala g’yud, at all,” she said.
“Second, take for example the logistics also. Is there readily an available court space for the court to operate in the designated area? Good if the LGU has already allotted for an office for this court because if wala pa, it has to be created,” she added.
Bathan explained that the new judges were appointed by the President based on a shortlisted names of lawyers who applied for the position.
“The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) opens the slot for these courts and these lawyers would apply and signify their intent,” she said.
“They comply with the other requirements and submit it to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC). They are made to undergo tests, interview and evaluation by the JBC. They need to get the votes of the JBC in order for them to be short-listed. Then it is the JBC that submits the short-listed candidates to the Office of the President and only from among the names submitted by the JBC will the President signify his choice and make the appointment.”
According to Bathan, once the newly appointed judges officially become part of the bench, they are prohibited from engaging in private practice but may be allowed to teach subject to authority from the Chief Justice or the court administrator.
“This is a welcome development because that would mean that there will be declogging of cases from other courts and that would also lead to a faster and more efficient disposition of the cases that will be filed in court,” she said.