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— The Editors

PBBM names 3 new associate justices

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

October 19, 2022, 10:54 pm

MANILA — President Ferdinand R. Marcos has named two new associate justices of the Court of Appeals (CA) and another at the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

Marcos on Oct. 11 appointed Selma Alaras and Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan as CA associate justices and Corazon Ferrer-Flores as CTA associate justice.

A copy of the three new associate justices' appointment papers was made public on Wednesday night.

Alaras and Jorge-Wagan were replacements for former CA associate justices Gabriel Ingles and Edgardo Camello who compulsorily retired on Feb. 27 and May 19, respectively.

Before joining the CA, Alaras was the presiding judge of Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 62, while Jorge-Wagan was the presiding judge of Pasig City RTC Branch 111.

Ferrer-Flores, meantime, replaced former CTA associate justice Juanito Castañeda who reached the mandatory retirement age on June 24.

Prior to her new post, Ferrer-Flores served as the Supreme Court’s Deputy Clerk of Court and also chief of Fiscal Management and Budget Office.

She bested nine other hopefuls who were shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for the CTA post left vacant following Castañeda’s compulsory retirement.

The Office of the Executive Secretary on July 15 received the JBC’s July 8 letter addressed to President Marcos which contains the list of its nominees for CA and CTA posts.

The 1987 Constitution mandates the President to pick his appointees to the judiciary from the list within 90 days.

In a statement issued Thursday, Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, expressed confidence that the three new associate justices would be able to fulfill their mandate.

"Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has administered the oath of office of the newly-appointed Justices. The Palace and the entire nation wish them well," Garafil said. (PNA)

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