Graft court to get more magistrates

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has given its nod to a legislative measure that would increase the number of justices in the Sandiganbayan antigraft court.

In a position paper, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima agreed with Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, author of Senate Bill No. 3111, that the antigraft court needed more justices to ensure the speedy resolution of graft cases.

However, De Lima said a study was needed to determine exactly how many additional judges would be needed.

Guingona has proposed a three-fold increase or the appointment of 30 more magistrates to the 14-member tribunal.

De Lima said the Senate must get the opinion of Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francisco Villaruz and other justices of the antigraft court to determine the appropriate number of new magistrates.

“While there is a need to increase the number of associate justices in the Sandiganbayan, a thorough study should be made to determine how many associate justices are still needed,” De Lima said.

She said a study should also be conducted to see how many  Sandiganbayan divisions should be created for the Visayas and Mindanao.

But the justice secretary objected to a provision in the bill which would allow the designation of only one justice—instead of three—to handle a case and receive evidence.

Since the Sandiganbayan is a trial court, De Lima said the presence of three justices during hearings was necessary “to enable them to render the right decision.”  Marlon Ramos