A THOMASIAN judge and UST law professor has been appointed to the Sandiganbayan, the country’s anti-graft court that handles corruption cases involving public officials.
The Supreme Court announced on Oct. 10 the appointment of Associate Justice Gener Malaluan Gito to the Sandiganbayan, where he will join 14 other associate justices.
Gito was appointed alongside Associate Justice Ermin Miguel, a former presiding judge at the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC).
He obtained his political science degree from the University of Batangas and his law degree from San Sebastian College-Recoletos. He completed his master of laws in 2012 at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
In 2016, Gito earned his doctorate in civil law with summa cum laude honors from the UST Graduate School of Law, where he teaches constitutional law and remedial law. Gito also teaches at the UST Faculty of Civil Law.
Before his appointment to the Sandiganbayan, Gito was the presiding judge at the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206. He had also served as an RTC judge in Balanga City, Bataan, and Malolos, Bulacan.
Gito wrote some notable rulings during his stint at the Muntinlupa RTC.
On June 24, he acquitted Leila de Lima of drug-related charges, citing “inconsistencies” in testimonies presented against her, leading to the end of her nearly seven-year detention.
Gito also ordered the release of Juanito Itaas, the country’s longest-held political prisoner, in 2021.
Before entering the judiciary, Gito served as director of the Senate Legal and Legislative Affairs Service from October 2008 to July 2014.
The new Sandiganbayan associate justice was awarded the Chief Justice Cayetano Arellano Award by the Society of Judicial Excellence in 2019, given to outstanding judges in the Philippines.
The Sandiganbayan is a special court with jurisdiction over criminal and civil ill-gotten wealth cases involving public officials, employees, and government-owned corporations.
Its justices are nominated by the Judicial and Bar Council, with a shortlist submitted to the Office of the President for final appointment. Marco Luis D. Beech