The National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) announced the new members of the Supreme Court of Justice and the members of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) on the evening of Wednesday, 19 July 2017. The CNM met on Wednesday and completed the deliberations after interviewing 83 candidates.
The four new judges of the Supreme Court of Justice are: Manuel Alexis Read Ortiz, a land court judge; Pilar Jiménez, also a land court judge; Blas Fernández, president of the Third Appeals Hall of the National District; and Moisés Ferrer, adjunct attorney general.
Ramón Herrera Carbuccia was chosen as substitute of Supreme Court of Justice president, Mariano Germán. The CNM representatives for the opposition party, PRM, had backed judge Miriam Germán being promoted to the position, as she is the second replacement.
Román Jáquez was chosen to be the presiding judge of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). At the time of his appointment, He is also the dean of the Law School of the Universidad Católica de Santo Domingo.
Others are Santiago Sosa, Ramón Madera Arias, Rafaelina Peralta and Cristian Perdomo. Sosa has presided the National District Central Electoral Board (JCE) since 2011. Ramón Madera at the time of his appointment is adjunct attorney general. Rafaelina Peralta is a past judge of the Central Electoral Board (JCE). Cristian Perdomo at the time of her appointment is serving as secretary of the JCE board in Santo Domingo East.
Their replacements are Marcos Cruz García (Román Jáquez), Fernan Ramos Peralta (Santiago Sosa), Jorge Eligio Méndez (Ramón Madera), Rhina Alessandra Díaz (Rafaelina Peralta) and Rosa Fior D’Aliza Pérez (Cristian Perdomo).
The leading opposition party, PRM had opposed that the TSE judges be re-elected. Opposition members of the CNM, José Paliza and Josefa Castillo said that most of the judges chosen are members of the ruling PLD and that they did not vote in favor of the selection of judges. They did not attend the press conference to announce the new judges.
Nevertheless, an editorial in El Día speculates there were agreements among the politicians. It says that a brother in law of a PRM party vice president was appointed, as well as one of the persons that had the preference of the PRSC. Moreso, the editorial says that to preside the TSE, the CNM chose a person affiliated to the Catholic Church schools – from previously being affiliated to the PUCMM, now a person related to the UCSD will be in charge.
When making the announcement of the chosen judges, CNM spokesman, Supreme Court judge Frank Soto said the judges would be sworn in on schedule on Friday, 21 July 2017.
DR1 had erroneously reported yesterday that the selection would be postponed for next week.
Read more in Spanish:
https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias/el-cnm-selecciona-nuevos-miembros-de-altas-cortes
https://elnuevodiario.com.do/miembros-la-oposicion-cnm-no-votaron-los-jueces-electos/
20 July 2017
