Bedan professors appointed as new CA Associate Justices  

(Photos grabbed from Facebook accounts of Justices Alaras and Jorge-Wagan)

By: Gilda Francesca Flores

Judge Selma Palacio Alaras and Judge Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan, professors of San Beda University-College of Law (SBU-COL), were officially announced by the Supreme Court as the new Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justices last October 19.

Alaras and Jorge-Wagan will replace former CA Associate Justices Gabriel Ingles and Edgardo Camello who have compulsorily retired last February 27 and May 19, respectively. They took their oath of office before Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo last Wednesday.

Alaras and Jorge-Wagan, together with Corazon Ferrer-Flores as the new Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) Associate Justice, were appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos on October 11. They are the first appointees of President Marcos, Jr.  to the Judiciary Department.

Alaras was the presiding judge of the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 62, where she served therein since 2003. On the other hand, Jorge-Wagan was the presiding judge of the Pasay City RTC Branch 111 since 2006 after her 5-year stint as the judge of the Calamba City Municipal Trial Court (MTC). 

Alongside their duties as officers of the Court, Alaras and Jorge-Wagan are engaged in legal education and other organizations in their respective fields. They are also current faculty members of the SBU-COL in Mendiola and San Beda College Alabang School of Law.

Alaras has been teaching in San Beda Mendiola since 1991 and in San Beda Alabang since 2008. She is also a lecturer for Remedial Law subjects at the Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) since 2010. She is also an active member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee.

Meanwhile, Jorge-Wagan is a Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) lecturer in the Manila Law Center. She is also a member of the World Jurist Association (WJA), as well as the Technical Working Group Supreme Court Sub-Committee on the Proposed Rules of Procedure on Cybercrime Law Enforcement.

Both Alaras and Jorge-Wagan obtained their law degrees from the San Beda University. Alaras graduated in 1990 while Jorge-Wagan in 1993.