Special Court to Try Former Philippine President RejectedThe Philippine anti-graft court Sandiganbayan Saturday rejected a proposal to set up a special court to handle criminal cases against former president Joseph Estrada.In an interview with radio dzMM, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francis Garchitorena said such a move could only elicit suspicions of partisanship. Civil society groups have put forward the proposal in order to speed up the prosecution of corruption-tainted Estrada, who is now facing at least nine criminal charges, including economic plunder punishable by death. Garchitorena said, "The first problem is that there might be some apprehensions that the judges appointed to the special court are for or against Estrada." Setting up a special court, he explained, could only politicize the judicial process and create the impression that judges are out to prosecute Estrada, who was toppled in a military-backed popular revolt in January. "The Sandiganbayan is already a special court and was specially designed by the Constitution," he explained. The Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over all cases against government officials, including corruption complaints. However, Garchitorena mentioned several conditions for the creation of a special court. "It is an administrative matter, and it should be sanctioned by the Supreme Court," he said. He also mentioned the possibility of the Congress passing a law to establish such a special court. The nine criminal cases filed against Estrada are pending before the Office of the Ombudsman, which is investigating into the cases.The cases are expected to be filed at the Sandiganbayan after the Supreme Court hands down its final ruling on Estrada's plea for immunity from lawsuits. |
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