FEU Law alumnus is new Sandiganbayan presiding justice

The first FEU Law alumnus who serves as Sandiganbayan presiding justice is my fellow law professor at FEU Law, Hon. Edilberto SANDOVAL. Read the news item below. (Note: The first FEU Law alumnus who served as Supreme Court Chief Justice was Hon. Artemio PANGANIBAN).

Justice Sandoval named new Sandiganbayan chief
GMANews.TV
GMANews.TV - Friday, September 24

Acting Sandiganbayan presiding justice Edilberto Sandoval has been appointed the new presiding justice of the anti-graft court, Malacañang spokesman Edwin Lacierda announced Friday.

The Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases involving government officials.

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

Radio dzBB said Sandoval took his oath of office before Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona shortly after Malacañang announced the appointment.

Sandoval was one of the eight nominees for the post that the Judicial Bar Council, which screens nominees for vacant posts in the judiciary, 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 that Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno vacated when he retired last May. The post went to then SC Associate Justice Corona, who was appointed by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Sandiganbayan presiding justice has a crucial role in the Aquino administration, which has repeatedly vowed to weed out corrupt officials in government.

Aquino's electoral victory rested on the promise to stamp out corruption as a means to end poverty, as encapsulated in his campaign slogan "Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap."

Sandoval graduated as class valedictorian from the Far Eastern University (FEU) in 1963.

He was engaged in private law practice before 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 served in the position until he assumed the post of 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.

Among the recognition that Sandoval has received are the awards for Most Outstanding Regional Trial Court Judge of Manila from 1991 to 1994, Dangal ng Bayan Award, and Most Distinguished Law Alumnus of FEU-Class 1963. — with Jesse Edep/LBG/YA, GMANews.TV