Duterte appoints new magistrates to CA, Sandiganbayan

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan 

MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed three magistrates to the judiciary, two in the Court of Appeals (CA) and one to the Sandiganbayan, the Supreme Court (SC) said.

According to the SC Public Information Office, the President appointed Romeo Barza the new presiding justice of the Court of Appeals (CA), five months after then presiding justice Andres Reyes Jr., was appointed to the Supreme Court (SC) in July.

Barza bested fellow Associate Justices Remedios Salazar-Fernando, who served as CA Acting Presiding Justice, and Marlene Gonzales-Sison for the post.

A native of Lupon, Davao Oriental, Barza co-founded the now disbanded Carpio Villaraza Barza Cruz & Rosell Law Offices which was previously known as The Firm.

Barza started his career in the judiciary in October 1995 when he was named judge in Batangas City. He was elected national president of the Philippine Judges Association in 2003 and re-elected in 2005.

He obtained his law degree from the University of the Philippines in 1974, was trustee of the Philippine Judicial Academy from 2003 to 2006.

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Barza to the appellate court on May 4, 2006

Meanwhile, Duterte has appointed lawyer Walter S. Ong, brother of former Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong to the CA.

Ong's appointment was indicated in a transmittal letter signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno dated November 28, 2017 but was received by the SC on Monday,

Ong, an Ateneo School of Law alumnus, will replace then CA Associate Justice Noel Tijam who was appointed to the SC in March.

His brother was dismissed by the SC in 2014 over links with pork barrel fund scam queen Janet Lim - Napoles.

In a separate appointment letter dated Dec. 8, Duterte appointed Maryann E. Corpus-Mañalac as an Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan.

She takes the seat vacated by retired Associate Justice Maria Cristina Cornejo who passed away on September 3 after a year of battling a serious illness.

Corpus-Mañalac, who served as Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 141 judge, ordered Sunvar Realty Development Corp. to vacate the Mile Long property in August. (PNA)