Manila: Muntinlupa Judge Gener Gito, who acquitted former Senator Leila de Lima in her last drug case, has been appointed Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan. Gito's appointment was announced by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a social media post Thursday. Aside from Gito, Mandaluyong Judge J. Ermin Ernest Louie Miguel was also appointed Associate Justice of the anti-graft court. Gito granted bail to De Lima in November 2023 before acquitting her in June 2024 in the third and last drug case filed against her during the Duterte administration. The judge granted the former senator's demurrer to evidence, and said the testimonies of witnesses failed to establish that there was a conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading. De Lima was cleared in all of the three drug cases against her. Meanwhile, PCO Undersecretary Emerald Ridao has been named Senior Undersecretary of the Palace communications office while Florante Solmerin was appointed Director III of the PCO. Also included in the lates t appointees of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. were Ricardo Salomon Jr. (member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board); and Jose Ma. Dinsay (Foreign Trade Service Officer 1), Magnolia Misolas-Ashley (Foreign Trade Service Officer 1), Benedict Uy (Foreign Trade Service Officer 1) and Carla Regina Grepo (Foreign Trade Service Officer III) of the Department of Trade and Industry-Philippine Foreign Trade Service Corps. Source: Philippines News Agency