MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has tapped Judge Maria Amifaith S. Fider-Reyes to be among the commissioners of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
In a statement over the weekend, the CHR stated that Fider-Reyes has formally assumed her new position on November 15 and will serve a term extending until May 2029.
The CHR added that Fider-Reyes’ appointment completes the roster of Commission en banc (CEB), while also strengthening gender representation and reinforce the diverse expertise guiding the work of the commission.
“Her appointment represents a pivotal milestone in fulfilling the leadership structure crucial to CHR’s mandate of upholding and advancing human rights in the Philippines,” the CHR said.
Before being appointed as the third female member of the CHR, Fider-Reyes retired in December 2023 from the judiciary after 17 years of service.
Fider-Reyes served as the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Third Judicial Region, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Branch 42, which functions as a general jurisdiction court and a designated Special Commercial Court.
She also concurrently served as Acting Judge for other courts in the National Capital Judicial Region, including those in Makati, Las Piñas, Quezon City, and Manila, for 12 years.
Her distinguished career also involves private practice in the Palma Ybañez Fider-Reyes Teleron Law Offices in Cebu City, the SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan Law Offices and the University of the Philippines’ University Legal Counsel.
“Her rich legal and judicial experience equips her to be an invaluable asset to the Commission. Her multidisciplinary expertise and unwavering dedication to justice will undoubtedly strengthen CHR’s initiatives to protect and promote the rights of vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalized sectors,” the CHR said.
“The Commission is confident that Commissioner Fider-Reyes’s leadership will further energize CHR’s efforts in crafting policies, advocating for rights, and instituting preventive measures to address human rights challenges in the Philippines,” it added./ PN
