Teresita de Castro - Misplaced Pages

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Teresita Leonardo de Castro (born October 8, 1948) is an incumbent Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan of the Philippines. She was appointed to the Court by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 16, 2007.

Profile

De Castro's parents are Fortunato R. Leonardo and Maxima J. Leonardo, of Parañaque. Justice Teresita Jose Leonardo De Castro resides at Fort-Max Resort, Leonardo Compound, Merville, Parañaque, Metro Manila. De Castro is married to businessman Eduardo A. de Castro. Their daughter Christine Genevive, 28, works as Executive assistant, Court of Appeals and her half-brother, Eduardo L. Leonardo works as Executive assistant VI, Sandiganbayan).Her other children are Maria Cherell L. de Castro, 30, and Edouard Anthony L. de Castro, 26.

De Castro finished elementary (1960) and high school education (Valedictorian, 1964) at St. Paul College. De Castro earned her AB Political Science (cum laude, 1968) and Bachelor of Laws (1972) at the University of the Philippines (1979). She passed the Philippine Bar Examination of November, 1972 with bar rating of 80.9%.

She started her judicial career as a law clerk, legal and judicial assistant in the Supreme Court of the Philippines,(1973-1978). She was appointed DOJ State Counsel I, II (1978-1985), and promoted to senior state counsel (1985-1987), supervising state counsel, and chief of legal staff (1988-1989). Before her Sandiganbayan appointment, De Castro was the state counsel V and chief of legal staff, DOJ (1989-1995). De Castro is the incumbent Presiding Justice and Chairman, First Division, Sandiganbayan.

On August 17, 2007, Leonardo-de Castro warned grafters and corrupt public officials on the imposition of a stiff jail term if they are found guilty. Her stern warning was delivered before members of the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Council (MSACC) during the “NACPA Roadshow Rally for Integrity” held at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni at the UP Campus in Quezon City. De Castro signed the Covenant on March 17, 2006 to support the National Anti-Corruption Program of Action (NACPA) as representative of the judiciary and the Sandiganbayan. De Castro reported that as of June 30, 2007, there have been 31,595 cases filed with the Sandiganbayan of which 29,213 have been disposed of, leaving a pending workload of 2,382 cases or an average of less than 500 cases per division.

Erap Plunder Trial

De Castro heads the anti-graft court’s special division on the Erap plunder case. The Sandiganbayan, has 90 days or until mid-September 2007 to decide the case of former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, but the decision could be issued much sooner than that. Leonardo-de Castro was candidate for the vacant post of Supreme Court Associate Justice, duly nominated by the JBC for the vacancy due to retirement of Romeo Callejo, Sr. and will be a very strong candidate for the vacancy due to the forthcoming retirement of Cancio Garcia on October 20, 2007

On September 5, 2007, Leonardo-de Castro, and Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Francisco Villaruz were assigned 2 extra bodyguards 3 weeks ago per initiative of the Sheriff (after getting threatening messages from an anonymous person). Renato Bocar, executive clerk of court confirmed the “new face" in De Castro’s office who has been “acting like a bodyguard."

On September 7, 2007, the Sandiganbayan's Teresita De Castro announced that the graft court will promulgate the judgment on September 12, 2007 in the 6-year-old plunder trial (October 2001 to June 15, 2007) of ousted President Joseph Ejercito Estrada. The verdict will also inclued his son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada; and lawyer Eduardo Serapio. Court Sheriff Ed Urieta said tight security will include 4,000 police and 2,000 soldiers, and military. Estrada is accused of stealing 4 billion pesos (US$81 million; €62 million) in illegal funds and falsely declaring his assets. On September 11, 2007, the Supreme Court of the Philippines allowed live television (broadcast media) coverage of the Sandiganbayan's Joseph Estrada's promulgation of judgment on September 12, 2007 (granting the petition of the Kapisanan ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas). The court, however, directed media to hook up with a video camera of the personnel of the Supreme Court public information office.

On September 11, 2007, as controversial political figure, Estrada released a statement to the poor Filipinos: "I have been imprisoned for 6 years, 4 months and 17 days but because of your prayers, help and love, I have endured all these ... Whatever the Sandiganbayan (corruption court) will decide, I am ready because I know my countrymen have acquitted me.

The Decision

On September 12, 2007, Joseph Estrada was acquitted of perjury but found guilty of plunder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua with the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from public office and forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth.

On September 12, 2007, Sandiganbayan's Presiding Justice Teresita De Castro and 2 other magistrates Diosdado M. Peralta and Francisco H. Villaruz Jr. unanimously acquitted his son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and a lawyer Edward Serapio of plunder charges. The Fallo of the 262-page Decision declared the forfeiture in favor of the government: P542.701 million (bank accounts including interest), P189 million (Jose Velarde accounts including interest) and the Boracay mansion in New Manila, Quezon City.

Only the fallo or dispositive part of 2 judgments were read (resulting to only 15 minutes judicial proceedings).During the reading of the judgment, witnesses said Joseph Estrada cried; his wife, Luisa Ejercito Estrada, Jackie Ejercito Lopez, San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, (Estrada's son with Guia Gomez), other family members and mistresses (including, Laarni Enriquez) all wept during the promulgation by the clerk.

Estrada's lawyer Estelito Mendoza stated that Estrada will file a motion for reconsideration (before September 27) of the 262-page Judgment and then appeal the verdict to the High Tribunal. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it will support a presidential pardon for Estrada. Jinggoy Estrada said The people will receive this with moral outrage and disgust. The time of reckoning will come. That time may not be too far now. ``This verdict is intended to legitimize the occupancy of an illegal tenant in Malacanang

Estrada, in Filipino Barong Tagalog (pineapple fibre dress shirt and cream trousers) with his trademark wristband stated that "I thought the role of justice would prevail here but really it's a kangaroo court." President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo stated that the court's decision must be accepted: "We hope and pray that the rule of law will prevail." Estrada's counsel Rene A.V. Saguisag issued the statement:"VICTORS' JUSTICE" - "It's victors' justice. It's ruling class justice. The special division (of the court) was programmed to convict. We never had a chance." Estrada will appeal the verdict and would be under automatic review at the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Estrada told AFP that he was resigned for the latest drama in his presidency: "last and best performance of my life." The prosecution's lead counsel Dennis Villa-Ignacio proudly asserted: "It shows that our judicial system really works.This is the last chance for the state to show that we can do it, that we can charge, prosecute and convict a public official regardless of his stature."

Joseph Estrada rose from obscurirty to having been top Filipino film star, then hit the mark, by claiming the Presidency until destiny sent him to jail. He stated to AFP "I feel depressed, but it's my style not to show it." Before the release of the fatalistic judgment, he warned that he prevent his fans from making street protests.

Estrada returned to his villa in Tanay, Rizal (driven on from a golf cart), to the helicopter) The court permitted him to return to his villa, "until further orders".

Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy stated that the arrival of the USS Chung-Hoon and USS Milius, Missile destroyers was a goodwill visit to strengthen the ties between the U.S. and the Philippines.

Appeal

On September 26, 2007, Joseph Estrada appealed by filing a 63-page motion for reconsideration of the Sandiganbayan judgment penned by Teresita de Castro (submitting 5 legal grounds). Estrada alleged that the court erred "when it convicted him by acquitting his alleged co-conspirators."

On October 5, 2007, the Sandiganbayan's Special Division ruled to have set for October 19, oral argument (instead of a defense reply) on Joseph Estrada’s motion for reconsideration. Estrada asked court permission to attend the hearing, since it ordered the prosecution to file comment before October 11.

Aftermath

On September 14, 2007, Chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Antonio Apostol officially stated that Sandiganbayan Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Diosdado Peralta and Francisco Villaruz Jr. should decline Judicial and Bar Council nomination and await other vacancies to ease pressure on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo: “Para Hindi na maipit ang Presidente (In order to spare the President from pressure), they should withdraw their nomination. Parang iyong nangyari kay Justice (Gregory) Ong (Remember what happened in Justice Gregory S. Ong’s case) ...It’s a sacrifice on her part..Hindi niya maiwanan (ang posisyon) (She cannot leave the Sandiganbayan) because of the case of Joseph Estrada - Erap (Estrada’s nickname)." In the aftermath of the verdict, De Castro, Villaruz and Peralta are now at the receiving end of 2 unsolicited advices from key officials. Senate of the Philippines Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, ex-officio member, Judicial and Bar Council stated that the 3 Sandiganbayan justices "should have the delicadeza not to accept a promotion to the highest tribunal to dispel any suspicion that they pronounced Mr. Estrada guilty expecting a reward from Palace ... We do not want to see a cloud of suspicion over the appointees to the Supreme Court. They should always be above suspicion.”

On October 16, 2007, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) announced the final nominees to the October 20 Associate Justice Cancio Garcia vacant Supreme Court of the Philippines Associate Justice post. Teresita De Castro, Justices Edgardo Cruz and Martin Villarama, got 7 out of 8 votes, while Associate Justices Francisco Villaruz and Edilberto G. Sandoval and Labor Secretary Arturo D. Brion got 5 votes each (from the JBC). The President has 90 days to choose from the above final list.

On November 5, 2007, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, in a privileged speech vowed to block the appointment to the Supreme Court of Sandiganbayan Justices Teresita De Castro and Edilberto Sandoval (who convicted his father - President Joseph Estrada). Jinggoy said that: "Such a promotion would seem like a reward in exchange for the guilty verdict against the deposed President. We are convinced, then and now, that the special court created to exclusively try the case of President Estrada was established precisely to convict him, which is what exactly happened."

TRAINING COURSES Seminar on Loan Negotiation and Renegotiation (August 9 to September 5, 1986), International Law Institute, Washington D.C.

Program of Instruction for Lawyers (June 11-21, 2004), Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Seminar Judging Across Borders: Canadian Judges and International Law, (April 6-9, 2005), National Judicial Institute, Victori, British Columbia, Canada

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS Phi Kappa Phi International Honor Society;

Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in the Social Sciences;

Vice Chancellor and consistent Member, Order of the Purple Feather, UP College of Law Honor Society;

Executive Vice-President, Philippine Women Judges Association;

UP Sigma Alpha Sorority;

UP College of Law, Portia Sorority and UP Women Lawyers Circle (WILOCI);

Awarded University and College Scholarships at UP Diliman, Q.C.

References

External links

GMA NEWS.TV, Sandiganbayan Decision
Philippines: Gov.Ph: About the Philippines – Justice category
Sandiganbayan – Official website
SANDIGANBAYAN Info – Information on the Sandiganbayan
About the Sandiganbayan
GMA NEWS.TV, A one-stop, multimedia microsite: The Estrada plunder trial verdict
GMA NEWS.TV, Estrada Plunder Trial
TOC Plaintiff's Memorandum
Plaintiff's Memorandum
NOTES ON PLUNDER CLOSING STATMENTS
GMA Video, Court Session on Joseph Estrada's verdict
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/11589/Sandigan-finds-Erap-guilty-of-plunder GMA Video, Sandigan finds Erap guilty of plunder]
GMA Video, Interview with Estrada after conviction
GMA Video, Estradas overcome with sadness, after verdict

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