Former chief justice Bersamin named executive secretary

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RETIRED Supreme Court chief justice Lucas Bersamin has been named by President Marcos Jr. as executive secretary, replacing Vic Rodriguez who resigned earlier this month, Malacañang said yesterday.

The Palace also announced the appointment of Richard Paat Palpal-latoc as chairman of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Beda Angeles Epres as commissioner.

The CHR said Palpal-latoc served as deputy executive secretary for Legal Affairs, under the Office of the President, prior to his appointment to the CHR.

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Epres is a career official at the Office of the Ombudsman and was serving as director of the Ombudsman’s General Investigation Bureau prior to his new appointment.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, in a message to media, said Bersamin took his oath before the President yesterday and “began his duties immediately by attending the ninth Cabinet meeting.”

She also said Bersamin was chosen primarily due on “trust basis.”

“The President said he is well-qualified to be the executive secretary having put in so many years in the judiciary. He has the necessary legal background and the ability to deal with the paperwork plus of course, he is trusted and well-qualified for this,” she said in mixed English and Filipino.

Bersamin, who retired as chief justice in 2020, was appointed by then President Duterte as chairman of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in February 2020 to serve a term until June 2020.

He was a judge at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court from 1986 until his appointment as associate justice at the Court of Appeals in 2003. He joined the Supreme Court as associate justice in 2009 until his appointment as chief justice in 2018.

Bersamin, an alumnus of the University of the East Law school, replaced Rodriguez who resigned to attend to his family.

Rodriguez’ resignation came amid the sugar importation controversy that stemmed from the issuance of the Sugar Order (SO) No. 4 that allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar. Malacañang said was signed without his approval of the President who is the concurrent Agriculture secretary.

The CHR said Palpal-latoc will serve a seven-year term. His appointment paper was signed by President Marcos Jr on September 15.

Palpal-latoc also previously served as lawyer at the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Field Office IV-A and in several positions at the Office of the Ombudsman as graft investigator and prosecution officer.

In 2020, he was appointed as Assistant City Prosecutor at the Office of the City Epres is Marcos’ first appointee in the commission and the first member of the CHR en banc. The term of the four former commissioners ended in May. The fifth en banc member, Chito Gascon was unable to finish his term as he passed away in October 2021.

Epres replaces Commissioner Roberto Eugenio Cadiz and will serve until May 5, 2029.

Epres is also also a former graft Investigator and a former prosecution officer.

He had been shortlisted for higher Ombudsman positions, including the deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao, deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas and deputy Ombudsman for Luzon.

The CHR said Epres’ appointment letter was signed by the President on September 15 and transmitted to the commission on September 21.

Epres, 51, was assigned as Director IV at the General Investigation Bureau-A at the Office of the Ombudsman prior to his appointment as CHR commissioner.

“His career stands on a strong foundation and experience in investigation work,” the CHR said in welcoming the appointment of Epres.

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Epres is an alumnus of the Far Eastern University and Arellano University School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1995 and has been with the Office of the Ombudsman since 1997. — With Victor Reyes

 

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