■ 11 LAWYERS FROM CEBU AMONG 19 NEW JUDGES

The Supreme Court received yesterday the appointment papers of 19 new judges for courts in the Visayas. Sixteen of President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest appointees are women and 11 of the 19 are lawyers from Cebu. An officer of the Court of Appeals Cebu Station, Executive Justice Gabriel Ingles, said he expected the appointments to help declog lower court dockets. Six of the new judges will preside over the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) in Cebu City. Six others will be assigned to Bohol. The MTCC in Lapu-Lapu will have two of the new judges, while the courts in Lapu-Lapu, Liloan-Compostela, Mandaue, and Naga will get one new judge each.

CA Cebu executive judge says move will fast track the disposal of cases in the lower courts.

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed 11 Cebu-based lawyers to the judiciary.

They are part of the 19 lawyers from the Visayas who were appointed as judges by Duterte.

Menardo Guevarra, acting executive secretary to the President, informed Chief Justice Maria Lources Sereno about the matter.

The appointment papers dated Feb. 6 were received by the Supreme Court only yesterday.

The new judges will take their oath of office within 10 days after receiving the official individual communication from the Judicial and Bar Council.

Likewise, the High Court will inform the appointees of their appointments within seven days after receiving the letter.

Executive Justice Gabriel Ingles of the Court of Appeals Cebu Station, said the appointments will help declog court dockets in the lower courts. /