MANILA, Philippines – Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz has died, officials of the anti-graft court have confirmed Friday. He was 64.
According to sources, the passing of Cruz was also confirmed by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang on Friday night. Cruz succumbed to pneumonia.
Prior to his demise, Cruz was the senior member for the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division, which was chaired by Associate Justice Alex Quiroz.
Among the recent decisions that he was a part of include the dismissal of the usurpation charges against sacked police chief Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force chief Getulio Napeñas, where he concurred with the decision; he also voted for the junking of Datu Sajid Ampatuan’s motion to reconsider his conviction for anomalous school projects.
Cruz was appointed by former president Benigno Aquino III as Sandiganbayan justice in 2016. Prior to his appointment, he served an undersecretary for Aquino’s administration.