Geraldine Econg
Geraldine Faith Abracia Econg is a Filipino jurist who currently serves as the Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan, the Philippines' anti-graft court. She was appointed to the post by President Ferdinand [Marcos Jr.] on January 7, 2025, succeeding Amparo Cabotaje Tang.
Prior to this, she served as Sandiganbayan Associate Justice from 2016 to 2025.
Early career and education
Econg, a cum laude law graduate from the University of San Carlos, began her judicial career as presiding judge in the municipal trial court of Minglanilla, Cebu, from 2002 to 2004. She then served as presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 9 in Cebu City from 2004 to 2010.In 2010, she was appointed Judicial Reform Program Administrator of the Supreme Court's Program Management Office, where she oversaw the implementation of the Action Program for Judicial Reform until 2015. She then headed the Philippine Mediation Center Office of the Philippine Judicial Academy from 2015 and 2016.
In January 2016, she was appointed associate justice of the Sandiganbayan, where she initially served in the First Division before becoming chair of the Second Division.
Judicial appointments
In 2013, Econg was shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council for a seat in the Court of Appeals in Cebu, and in 2014, she was also shortlisted for Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas. In 2021, she was also nominated as one of the nine candidates for the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.On January 20, 2016, President Benigno Aquino III appointed her Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan, where she chaired the Second Division before her promotion to Presiding Justice in 2025.
On January 7, 2025, Econg was appointed Presiding Justice of the Sandiganbayan by President Bongbong Marcos, succeeding Amparo Cabotaje-Tang. Econg, although recently appointed as Presiding Justice with a term set to continue until 2037, is now pursuing the position of Ombudsman.
Notable cases
Econg has participated in several high-profile cases, including:- Voting to acquit Senator Bong Revilla of plunder charges in connection with the pork barrel scam in 2018.
- Joining the special division that dismissed the plunder case against former senator Juan Ponce Enrile in 2024.
- Authoring the decision dismissing the last six coconut levy cases involving former president Ferdinand Marcos, former first lady Imelda Marcos, Enrile, and others.