PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd has appointed new judges of the lower regional trial courts (RTC) and municipal trial courts (MTC) in the provinces.

In the transmittal letters of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal-Sereno, there are 13 new judges appointed in different stations in the country.

The appointment papers signed by President Aquino 3rd remarks “by virtue hereof, you may qualify and enter upon the performance of the duties of the office, furnishing this Office and the Civil Service Commission with copies of your oath of office.”

The new appointees were fielded in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and the Bicol regions.

Among the new appointees is MTC Judge Rhea Sernadilla-Gallevo of Agoo, La Union province.

Also appointed are Judge Romeo Carmelito Conge for MTC Pulilan, Bulacan, and Judge Jose Covarrubias 3rd for MTC Branch 1, Meycauayan, Bulacan.

Other appointees are Judges Rene de la Cruz, MTC Daet, Camarines Norte; Maria Christine Bernarte of MTC Calabanga, Camarines Sur; Salvador Villarosa Jr. of MTC Labo, Camarines Norte; Maria Kristina Malanyaon of MTC Buhi, Camarines Sur; Pedro Redonia of RTC Branch 63, Calabanga, Camarines Sur; Ignacio Barcillano Jr. of RTC Branch 13, Ligao, Albay; George Andy Pantanosas MTC Branch 2, Binganonan, Rizal; Bonhoefer Bernardez, MTC Bantay, Ilocos Sur; Rachelle Asuncion Palen, MTC Bolinao, Pangasinan; and Cresencio Maliwat, RTC Branch 21 Santiago, Isabela.

Currently, the Judicial Bar Council is headed by Chairman Sereno, with three ex-officio members—Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Sen. Francis Escudero and Rep. Niel Tupas of Iloilo.

There are also four regular members, which includes lawyer Jose Mejia from the academe; lawyer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines; retired Supreme Court justice Regino Hermosisima, and representing the private sector, retired Court of Appeals justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman.