Most Sandigan division chiefs are GMA appointees

MANILA - The Sandiganbayan is set to determine on whose hands the plunder and graft cases related to the pork barrel scam will fall for trial. Three senators - Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla - and alleged pork scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles are among those facing plunder charges for stealing government funds. Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Sandiganbayan to proceed with the raffle of the plunder and graft cases today. This, as a request from the Ombudsman to create two special divisions has yet to be resolved. The plunder and graft cases will be raffled off to the anti-graft court's five divisions. Each division consists of a chairman, a senior member and a junior member. Most of the current division chairmen are appointees of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo except for Third Division chair and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, who was appointed by President Aquino, and Fourth Division Chairman Associate Justice Gregory Ong, who was appointed by President Estrada. Ong assumed his post as Associate Justice in October 5, 1998. Ong himself had faced an administrative probe for his alleged link to Napoles. This, after whistleblower Benhur Luy revealed to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that Ong was Napoles' contact in the anti-graft court. Incidentally, Ong was a member of the anti-graft court division which earlier acquitted Napoles for malversation cases filed against her over the military's anomalous purchase of 500 kevlar helmets in 1998. Meanwhile, more questions on Ong's credibility were raised after a photo of Ong, Senator Estrada and Napoles standing side by side also circulated in the Web. In a letter to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Ong acknowledged being in the photo but did not admit to being Napoles' friend. The Sandiganbayan currently has a total of 13 associate justices and a presiding justice. One seat remains vacant. ANC HEADSTART, June 13, 2014