Aquino appoints replacement of Sandigan justice linked to Napoles

Malacañang on Saturday announced the appointment of Sarah Jane Fernandez as associate justice of the Sandiganbayan, almost eight months after former associate justice Gregory Ong was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

READ: Sandigan Justice Ong dismissed

“The President signed the appointment last May 5, 2015,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing.

“If you recall, there is a vacancy in the Sandiganbayan upon the departure of former Sandiganbayan Justice Gregory Ong, she’s the replacement,” she said.

Fernandez is a former assistant solicitor general and sister of Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez.

She was part of the team that defended the Reformed Value-Added Tax (RVAT) before the Supreme Court.

READ: JBC submits 5 names to Palace to fill up vacant post in Sandigan

Ong was axed in September last year for “gross misconduct, dishonesty and impropriety” after he lied about meeting with alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

He was the first Sandiganbayan justice dismissed by the Supreme Court.

At the height of the pork barrel controversy, Ong was accused of being Napoles’ contact in the Sandiganbayan and of accepting money to acquit the businesswoman from a case involving the questionable purchase of 500 Kevlar helmets for the Philippine Marines.

READ: Sandiganbayan justice tied to Napoles faces ax

Originally posted: 12:00 PM | Saturday, May 9th, 2015