Estrada plunder trial: The Sandiganbayan justices

The set of Sandiganbayan justices which heard the Estrada Plunder case changed its composition several times throughout the six-year trial. The original trio was composed of Justices Anacleto Badoy Jr., Teresita Leonardo-De Castro and Ricardo Ilarde. The plunder case at that time was assigned to the Third Division of Sandiganbayan. However, the trial had barely started when this set changed. Ilarde retired in November 2001, while Badoy was placed on indefinite leave the following month.

September 13, 2001: The defense panel refused to sign a copy of the Sandiganbayan Pre-trial Order. While one other defense counsel was presenting arguments, Atty. Rene Saguisag intervened. Justice De Castro asked him to wait for his turn but Atty. Saguisag persisted, prompting her to bang the gavel twice and order him to stop arguing. Then four Sheriffs were ordered to take Atty. Saguisag out of the courtroom. Saguisag filed an administrative case in the Supreme Court against De Castro for "oppression". In 2003, the Supreme Court admonished De Castro but also said that "Atty. Saguisag should have observed the respect due to" the Sandiganbayan justices. (Supreme Court)

November 29, 2001: Sandiganbayan Justice Anacleto Badoy, Jr. proceeded to the GMA broadcast station on board an ambulance and in an interview announced the loss of an unsigned resolution ordering Estrada's detention at Fort Sto. Domingo. This incident prompted the Supreme Court to put Badoy on indefinite leave. In 2003, the high court fined Badoy for conduct unbecoming a Justice in connection with this TV interview (disclosing the contents of a ruling to the public before its promulgation). (Supreme Court, BusinessWorld)

The Supreme Court created a Sandiganbayan Special Division in January 2002. The new division was tasked to hear, try and decide with dispatch the plunder case and all related cases filed against Estrada and his co-accused. Acting Presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario was named as chair, with De Castro and Associate Justice Edilberto Sandoval as members.

This composition would change again in August 2004 when Nazario was appointed by President Arroyo to the Supreme Court. Sandoval became presiding justice, joined by de Castro and Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz, Jr. Sandoval resigned from his post as chair of the Special Division in January 2005. De Castro had just been named Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice at that time; the Supreme Court assigned her to the post vacated by Sandoval. Villaruz remained as member, and Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta completed the trio. De Castro, Villaruz and Peralta were the last set of Sandiganbayan justices to handle the Erap case. They were the ones who penned the verdicts which acquitted former President Estrada of perjury but found him guilty of plunder. So far, two Sandiganbayan justices who presided over the Erap case have been appointed as Supreme Court associate justices. Chico-Nazario was appointed by President Arroyo in 2004, while De Castro was named to her new post on December 1, 2007. Incidentally, Sandoval and Villaruz were also in the list of candidates for Supreme Court justice.

SANDIGANBAYAN JUSTICES WHO HANDLED THE ESTRADA PLUNDER TRIAL
present	Teresita Leonardo-De Castro - presiding justice Francisco H. Villaruz, Jr. Diosdado M. Peralta
past	Anacleto Badoy - put on indefinite leave in December 2001 Ricardo Ilarde - retired on November 27, 2001 Minita Chico-Nazario - named Supreme Court Justice in 2004 Edilberto Sandoval - resigned in January 2005

Sources: Defense Memorandum, Supreme Court, BusinessWorld, JBC