Harriet Obias Demetriou is a Filipino lawyer and was the first female Chairperson of the Philippine election commission, the

COMELEC COMELEC or Comelec may refer to any of the following: * Commission on Elections (Philippines) (Comelec) * North African Power Pool The Comité Maghrébin de l'Electricité (COMELEC), also Maghreb Electricity Committee and North African Power Poo ...

, appointed by President

Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice preside ...

. She was one of only four women appointed to the Philippine Election Commission. Demetriou, the then-judge of Pasig regional trial court, was known to the public for handing down the March 1995 verdict against former

Calauan, Laguna Calauan (), officially the Municipality of Calauan ( tgl, Bayan ng Calauan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. The municipality has a land area of 25.25 square miles which constitutes 3.41% of Laguna's total a ...

mayor

Antonio Sanchez Anthony Sanchez, Antonio Sanchez or Tony Sanchez may refer to: Sports * Antón (footballer) (1914–2005), Spanish footballer born ''Antonio Sánchez Valdés'' * Antonio Sánchez (boxer) (1905–?), Spanish boxer * Antonio Sánchez (footballer, ...

and six others (then-PNP Calauan Deputy Chief George Medialdea, Luis Corcolon, Rogelio "Boy" Corcolon, Zoilo Ama, Baldwin Brion, and Pepito Kawit) for the rape-slay of 21-year-old Mary Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of 19-year-old Allan Gomez in June 1993.

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On January 11, 1999, she was appointed by President

Estrada Estrada is a Spanish surname and Portuguese term. Notable people with the surname include: * Armando Estrada, actually Hazem Ali, professional wrestler * Arturo Estrada Hernández, Mexican painter *Carla Estrada, Mexican producer *Chuck Estrada, Am ...

as Chairman of the

Commission on Elections An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...

. After the events of January 2001 that led to the ouster of President Estrada from power, Demetriou tendered her courtesy resignation which was accepted by President

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...

Magdalo lawyer

Demetriou was the lead counsel for the core officers of the

Magdalo Group The Magdalo Group was a group of dissident soldiers who staged the unsuccessful Oakwood mutiny. Made up of junior officers of all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the group took over the Oakwood Premier Ayala Center in Makat ...

, who led the siege on the Oakwood hotel on July 27, 2003.access library
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References

Justices of the Sandiganbayan 20th-century Filipino judges Living people Filipino women in politics Filipino women lawyers Filipino women judges Chairpersons of the Commission on Elections of the Philippines Estrada administration personnel Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Filipino lawyers 20th-century women judges {{Philippines-politician-stub

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Magdalo lawyer

See also

References