By Genalyn D. Kabiling
President Duterte has appointed several new government officials, including Antipolo Judge Kevin Narce Vivero as new Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan.
Vivero, a regional trial court judge in Antipolo City, will fill the post vacated by Justice Samuel Martires in the anti-graft court. Martires was promoted to the Supreme Court in March 2017, becoming the President’s first appointee in the High Tribunal.
The appointment paper of Vivero was signed by the President last Nov. 28, 2017 but was only released by Malacañang yesterday.
Malacañang also announced the appointments of 17 new judges, including Pia Cristina Bersamin Embuscado as judge of the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court Branch 198. Embuscado is the daughter of Supreme Court Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin.
The President has also designated Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. as general manager of the Metro Manila Development Authority last April 18. Garcia, currently officer-in-charge general manager of the MMDA, takes the place of Thomas Orbos who was named Transportation Undersecretary.
Also appointed were Philippine Ambassador to Egypt Sulpicio Miguel Confiado with concurrent jurisdiction over Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan as well as Ambassador to Jordan Akmad Sakkam with concurrent jurisdiction over Palestine.
