The Supreme Court (SC) is stepping in to review the new rules set by the Sandiganbayan, which aim to speed up the trials of cases linked to alleged corruption in flood control projects — and to finish them in less than a year.
According to a “24 Oras” report by Sandra Aguinaldo, the Supreme Court wants to make sure that this move by the anti-graft court is not only ambitious but also properly carried out.
“Any rules that may be proposed by any court—whether it’s the Sandiganbayan, the Court of Tax Appeals, or the Court of Appeals—will have to be reviewed by the court en banc,” explained Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo.
He added,
“So any suggestions or recommendations from the Sandiganbayan to expedite the flood control project cases will be reviewed immediately. We’ll ensure these rules are properly implemented.”
Gesmundo made the statement during the third anniversary of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI), which was attended by several justices and court officials.
Earlier, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Geraldine Econg revealed that they plan to hold marathon hearings and release rulings on the flood control cases within six to eight months—a major shift from the usual drawn-out trials. Econg also noted that the Supreme Court will review their proposed rules to ensure everything aligns with due process.
During the SPJI anniversary, corruption in government also took center stage.
“Addressing corruption is a clear, visible, and urgent priority for all justices, judges, lawyers, and court personnel,” said Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen. “Corruption should no longer be hidden.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also discovered that some contractors involved in government projects had secured contracts to build Halls of Justice across the country.
Chief Justice Gesmundo has already ordered an investigation into these projects.
“There were projects included in the budget for some of our Halls of Justice which were outside the judiciary’s budget,” Justice Leonen shared. “Some were built by the DPWH, and as of yesterday, Justice Samuel Gaerlan reported that several of these were funded by certain contractors now under review.”
Despite the issue, the report noted that most of the Halls of Justice are already completed, and the Supreme Court’s budget was not used for their construction.
As the judiciary tightens its watch on corruption and streamlines its processes, the Supreme Court’s move sends a strong message: justice delayed will no longer be justice denied.
