Sandiganbayan judge: Some flood control cases may be finished within the year

Several cases involving anomalous flood control projects that are being handled by the Sandiganbayan may be completed within the year, Sandiganbayan Presiding Judge Geraldine Econg said Thursday.

During the Judiciary’s budget hearing, Econg said that the first batch of flood control cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in November 2025 are already at the defense stage.

“That means that in less than a year, we are already in the defense side. So that’s pretty fast po,” Econg said.

“If we follow the Speedy Trial Act that was enacted by the Supreme Court, we will see the conviction within the year. Or acquittal within the year,” she later added.

She said the Sandiganbayan is currently handling 26 cases tied to the flood control anomalies involving a number of senators and congressmen.

For his part, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian pushed for more funds to be allocated to the Judiciary, noting a P551 million decrease in the Sandiganbayan's funding.

He described the smaller funding as “counterintuitive.”

“Because the focus now actually is on the Sandiganbayan. In fact, we should support the Sandiganbayan more rather than reduce its budget. Because they need to capacitate themselves, make themselves more efficient, get more manpower to support the voluminous cases that are being filed in the Sandigan,” he said.

“So I don’t subscribe to the recommendation by the DBM to reduce it by P551 million. Hindi tama ‘yung oras at hindi tama ‘yung timing na gagawin natin ‘yan. Kita naman natin sa news ang daming cases na fina-file (The time and timing for doing that aren't right. We can see from the news that so many cases are being filed) ,” he added.

The Judiciary is requesting an augmentation of P5.344 billion from its original budget proposal of P86.271 billion.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan asked the Judiciary to submit a document identifying its priorities.

The Senate Committee on Finance submitted the Judiciary's budget to the plenary. —RF, GMA News