By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte has appointed four new Associate Justices of the Court of Appeals (CA) and two retired military generals to key posts in government, Malacañang announced Wednesday.
Court of Appeals (MANILA BULLETIN)
Based on the list of presidential appointees released by the Palace, the newly appointed CA magistrates are Bonifacio Pascua, Raymond Reynold Lauigan, Lorenza Bordios, and Richard Mordeno.
They previously served as regional trial court judges in Makati City, Tuguegarao, Caloocan City, and Cagayan de Oro, respectively.
Also appointed are retired Army chief Macairog Alberto as the new Philippine Ambassador to Israel and former Navy chief Robert Empedrad as administrator of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).
Alberto retired from the military last December after reaching the compulsory retirement age of 56. He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1986.
Empedrad, also a member of the PMA class of 1986, retired from the military last February.
The President also renewed the designation of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia as his special envoy to the Intercultural Dialogue and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Duterte likewise reappointed Abdullah Mama-o as his special envoy to Kuwait.
Other appointees are Aniceto Calubaquib, assistant government corporate counsel; Cheryl Marie Caballero, Department of Agriculture (DA) undersecretary; Domingo Tolentino, Department of Trade and Industry assistant secretary; Michel Kristian Ablan, Presidential Communications Operations Office assistant secretary; William Medrano, DA assistant secretary; and Leira Buan, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development assistant secretary.
Also appointed are Emerson Aquende, Philippine Competition Commission commissioner; Ricardo Nepomuceno, Landbank Countryside Development Foundation Inc. board member; Mamarico Sansarona, Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines board member.
The list also included new judges, prosecutors, school officials, and other government executives.