Palace names Fernandez to replace Ong as Sandiganbayan associate justice

Malacañang on Saturday named Sarah Jane Fernandez as associate justice of the Sandiganbayan to replace dismissed graft court associate justice Gregory Ong.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte disclosed this in an interview on government-run dzRB radio.

"We’d like to announce that the President has appointed the Honorable Sarah Jane T. Fernandez as Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan. The President signed the appointment last May 5, 2015," she said

Ong was removed from office last year due to his alleged links with trader Janet Napoles, the suspected mastermind of a multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

Before his dismissal, Ong chaired the Sandiganbayan's Fourth Division, which acquitted Napoles in a malversation through falsification of public documents case.

"If you recall, there is a vacancy in the Sandiganbayan upon the departure of former Sandiganbayan Justice Gregory Ong, so ito na po ‘yung kapalit," Valte said. — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA  News