New DOJ execs to take oath Monday

“The new guys will take their oath on Monday and assume their duties right away. We will discuss the allocation of work assignments, including media relations,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in text message sent to the Philippine News Agency Friday. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The new officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) who were recently appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte are set to take their oath on Monday.

“The new guys will take their oath on Monday and assume their duties right away. We will discuss the allocation of work assignments, including media relations,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in text message sent to the Philippine News Agency Friday.

Lawyers Emmeline Aglipay-Villar, Adrian F. Sugay, Mark L. Perete were named as undersecretaries while Neal Vincent M. Bainto was appointed assistant secretary.

Except for Aglipay-Villar who is currently DIWA partylist representative, Guevarra said the three new DOJ officials will immediately assume their post.

“Si Usec. Villar sa August pa (Usec. Villar will start in August). She’s still winding up her congressional and party-list duties,” the DOJ Secretary explained.

Guevarra also assured that the three newly-appointed officials will be able to do their jobs well.

“Sanay sa mabigat na trabaho ang mga kinuha kong new usecs/asec (They are used to heavy workloads),” he said.

Aglipay-Villar, Sugay, Perete and Bainto were appointed following Duterte’s acceptance of the courtesy resignations of Undersecretaries Erickson Balmes, Reynante Orceo and Raymund Mecate and Assistant Secretary Juvy R. Manwong.

The resignations were made in compliance with Guevarra’s directive when he was appointed as Justice Secretary, replacing Vitaliano Aguirre II who resigned in April.

Aglipay-Villar, a law graduate of the University of the Philippines, is the wife of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar.

Sugay, on the other hand, graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University law school in 1993. Since then, he has been in active litigation and was at one time a partner at De Borja Medialdea Bello Guevarra and Serapio Law offices.

Perete, a UP College of Law alumnus, worked as legal counsel in a large multinational company and taught various law subjects in several universities.

Bainto obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law and was the recipient of the Evelio Javier Leadership Award in 2012.

Prior to his appointment, he served as a senior associate at the Villaraza and Angangco Law Offices.

In a related development, Guevarra designated Quezon City Deputy Prosecutor Vesta Victoria Giner-Villamor as Acting City Prosecutor.

Gener-Villamor replaces Donald Lee who retired from the service on Saturday.

“The name is (deputy city prosecutor) Vesta Giner-Villamor for OIC CP (Officer in Charge, City Prosecutor) in QC due to mandatory retirement of (City Prosecutor) Donald Lee on July 14,” Guevarra said in text message.