DEFENDING HER VOTE. Geraldine Faith A. Econg, presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan, has an explanation why the anti-graft court acquitted of corruption charges former senator Bong Revilla, presidential counsel Juan Ponce Enrile and, in a number of cases, the Marcoses.
In a July 12, 2025 interview with Rappler's Lian Buan -- part of the digital news site's story about the victories of the Marcos family and friends in three years under the Bongbong Marcos Jr. presidency – PJ Econg defended her vote for the Marcoses, ex-senaor Bong Revilla and Juan Ponce Enrile.
WINNING RECORD. By Rappler reckoning, there were 12 wins of court cases by the Marcos family and cronies during the combined 12 years under presidents Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte (2010-2016; 2016-2022).
Comparing the record under Noynoy-Digong to that under President Bongbong Marcos in his first three years (2022-2025), Rappler reported thus: The Marcos family and friends already won 11 times. The Marcos victories, losses to the People of the Philippines.
PJ Econg in the July 12 interview told reporter Lian Buan that "no one" -- not President Bongbong or any family member or representative -- had ever talked with the Cebuana justice about any of the Marcos cases.
Reporter Buan noted the timing of Econg's promotion to top seat of the anti-graft court: "Two of these (Marcos) wins were decisions in 2024 in favor of a motion that Marcos filed as president, penned by Econg. Econg became presiding justice a year later."
Econg stuck to her defense: She decided based on the law and the evidence.
NOT THE FIRST TIME TO SPEAK UP. Amid the public uproar over the Sandiganbayan December 7, 2018 decision acquitting former senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr., then associate justice Econg, who penned the ruling, stood and defended it: She was "bound by evidence," she said.
"Yes, I know it's unpopular, I would've loved to be a heroine (had I) convicted him," Econg told news media in 2018. Two other justices in a division panel of five agreed with her; two disagreed, contending that Revilla was guilty.
RELATED: "Seares: Cebu's Geraldine Faith Econg chose to be unpopular," December 9, 2018.
Had she joined the dissenters, it would've been 3 vs 2 for conviction. At the end of the day, her favorite phrase, she and her two colleagues -- AJs Edgardo Calderon and Georgina Hidalgo -- became the villains in the public eye, with Econg up high as "ponente."
LACK OF EVIDENCE, IOTA OF DOUBT. Fast forward to July 2025, in the Rappler interview, now PJ Econg cited a common factor that caused the acquittal: lack of evidence, resulting in doubt about their guilt. Guilt must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. "One iota of doubt and we resolve in favor of the accused," Econg said, referring to the basic requirement in criminal law.
WHY THE FAILURE TO PROVE. Possible causes of the weakening of evidence against the accused, PJ Econg told Rappler, are witnesses forgetting their testimony, disappearing -- incapacitated by illness or dead -- and evidence eroded ("Xerox copies instead of the original"), and the like.
The Ombudsman's office may strive for quicker filing of the complaint to preserve witnesses' testimony and other evidence.
IMPROVEMENT IN OMBUDSMAN PERFORMANCE. That seemed to be the thrust of Econg in, now as Sandiganbayan chief assessing the prosecution of cases and later, if she'd be appointed Ombudsman.
Econg was listed, as of July 4, 2025, one of 17 applicants to the post of Ombudsman. The list includes Justice Secretary Justin Crispin "Boying" Remulla and former BIR commissioner Kim Henares.
'DREAM' TO BE OMBUDSMAN... The video clip of the Rappler talk with PJ Econg didn't take up why she'd want to be Ombudsman when she had moved up to Sandiganbayan presiding justice from associate justice only less than six months or so go.
The reason was not apparent at first to those not familiar with the extent of the powers, as well as salaries and privileges, legal and beyond.
Last July 11, 2025, or a week after the SC list of Ombudsman applicants was published, PJ Econg provided her reason: "To become Ombudsman is my dream."
... AND 'TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE.' “We have dreams and it's may way of reaching my dream to serve more people and to work for the good of our country.” She's not after the length of service, she told "Manila Bulletin," it's the "meaning and value of the service."
In June 2021, PJ Econg was one of 15 interviewed by Judicial and Bar Council for the Supreme Court seat vacated by Alexander Gesmundo, who was appointed chief justice April of that year.
She didn't get the SC seat but rose to head the Sandiganbayan.
RELATED: "Seares: Geraldine Faith Econg sets record as first Sandiganbayan presiding justice from Cebu." January 16, 2025.
PJ ECONG'S STAR. Cebu-born Geraldine Faith Econg was sworn in as presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan last January 3, 2025 by President Bongbong Marcos Jr. In 2016, then President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III appointed Econg as Sandiganbayan associate justice.
A cum laude graduate of University of San Carlos College of Law, she had been municipal court judge in Minglanilla and presiding judge of Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Cebu City (2002-2004).
She served as Cebu Regional Trial Court Branch 9 judge (2004-2010) and was reform program administrator of the Supreme Court's program management office (2010-2015).
Econg, now 57, would retire at 70 in August 2037 -- from the Sandiganbayan, the Ombudsman, or the Supreme Court, whichever her bright star would take her.
She wants to serve more people, she said. Cebuanos -- watching her on the Revilla, Enrile and Marcos cases -- will keep watching.