Palace names Sandoval as new Sandiganbayan chief

Malacañang on Friday named a new head of the Sandiganbayan, the Philippines' anti-graft court that has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases involving government officials. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said acting Sandiganbayan presiding justice Edilberto Sandoval has been appointed the new presiding justice of the court.

As the most senior in the court, Sandoval became the acting presiding justice when Presiding Justice Norberto Geraldez died of pancreatic cancer complications in April.

In a later report, dzBB said Sandoval took his oath of office before Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, shortly after Malacañang announced Sandoval's appointment. afternoon.

Sandoval was one of the eight nominees for the post the Judicial Bar Council, the body that screens nominees for vacant judicial posts, announced last July. The seven others were:

- Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong - Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Efren dela Cruz - Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz - SC deputy court administrator Nimfa Vilches - SC deputy court administrator Edwin Villasor - Regional Trial Court judge Renato Francisco (Malolos) - Regional Trial Court judge Pedro Corales (Pasay)

Sandoval was also a nominee for the post Reynato Puno vacated when he retired last May as Supreme Court Chief Justice.

The post ultimately went to then SC Associate Justice Corona, who was appointed by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Sandoval graduated cum laude and class valedictorian at the Far Eastern University (FEU) in 1963.

He first engaged in private law practice until his appointment as a regional trial court judge in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro, in 1983.

In 1986, Sandoval was appointed as a judge in a Manila regional trial court. He held the post until he assumed as Sandiganbayan associate justice in 1996.

Sandoval serves as a bar reviewer and a law professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, FEU, and New Era University. He also teaches at the Philippine Judicial Academy, the education and training arm of courts.

He has authored some law books such as Pointers in Criminal Law and the Revised Penal Code Book II.

Sandoval received awards such as Most Outstanding Regional Trial Court Judge of Manila from 1991 to 1994, Dangal ng Bayan Award, Most Distinguished Law Alumnus of FEU-Class 1963, Presidential Award of Far Eastern University, Most Outstanding FEU Alumnus in the Field of Law and Judiciary, Most Outstanding Law Alumnus of FEU, and FEU Most Distinguished Alumnus.


— with Jesse Edep/LBG, GMANews.TV