Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said on Wednesday that any proposal from the Sandiganbayan to speed up the resolution of complaints linked to the flood control corruption scandal will be immediately reviewed and implemented properly.
“Any suggestions or recommendation coming from Sandiganbayan to expedite the cases involving flood control projects, for sure, we will review immediately and see to it that it is properly implemented and drafted,” Gesmundo said.
The SC chief made this remark during the 3rd anniversary of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the judiciary’s reform and modernization program.
Earlier this week, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg said they are drafting new rules to expedite the trial of corruption cases.
For his part, Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said the High Tribunal supports the Office of the Ombudsman and other agencies combating corruption.
“The judiciary has to be made impartial. At the end of the day, we will have to receive the evidence,” he said.
“Our assurance is that it is going to be an application of all the learnings in the SPJI as well as all the programs when cases are filed not only in the Sandiganbayan, our Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) will also have jurisdiction over these,” Leonen added.
The senior justice also emphasized that the SC has long been preparing to improve the resolution of cases even before the flood control controversies.
In their ongoing investigation, Leonen noted that the SC is conducting a thorough review of completed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects in the courts funded by contractors.
Aside from the anti-graft court, he noted that other cases before the RTCs will be evidence-based and well-structured. Leonen revealed the inauguration of the electronic filing before the Sandiganbayan to assist in addressing cases.
