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By Jomar Canlas, Reporter
THE most senior magistrate of the Sandiganbayan
Special Division who is handling the plunder case involving former
President Joseph Estrada has resigned as chairman of that special
court.
According to a source of The Manila Times, a
retirement letter was sent by Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz
to the Supreme Court, since a new Presiding Justice of the
Sandiganbayan was appointed.
On Friday last week, Malacañang announced the
appointment of Justice Diosdado Peralta as Chief Magistrate of the
Anti-Graft Court.
The appointment of Peralta as Presiding Justice
paved the way for Villaruz to relinquish the chairmanship of the
Special Division.
Villaruz sought the authority from the High
Court to allow him to leave the chairmanship since Peralta will be
their new head. Villaruz shall remain senior member of the special
court.
During the conviction of Estrada on September
12, 2007, the chairperson of the Special Division then was Presiding
Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and the senior member was
Villaruz while Peralta was the junior magistrate.
After the promotion of De Castro as High Court
Associate Justice, Villaruz automatically notched the Chairmanship
while Peralta became the senior member and Justice Rodolfo
Ponferrada became the new junior member.
With the turn of events in view of the promotion
of Peralta to head the Sandiganbayan, Villaruz decided to surrender
the chairmanship since it would be awkward for a Presiding Justice
to sit just as a senior member of the Special Division.
Villaruz is more senior than Peralta at the
Sandiganbayan, but the latter is more senior than the former in
terms of service in the judiciary.
Despite its conviction of Estrada for plunder,
the Special Division remained an active court following the filing
of a motion questioning the execution of the Sheriff’s office on
to the civil aspect of the case.
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