| Sandiganbayan | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the Sandiganbayan | |
 Flag of the Sandiganbayan | |
| Jurisdiction | Philippines |
| Location | Centennial Building,Commonwealth Avenue,National Government Center,Diliman,Quezon City |
| Composition method | Presidential appointment from the shortlist submitted by theJudicial and Bar Council |
| Authorized by | Constitution of the Philippines |
| Appeals to | Supreme Court of the Philippines |
| Appeals from | Regional Trial Court |
| Number of positions | 21 |
| Annual budget | ₱1.37 billion (2020)[1] |
| Website | sb.judiciary.gov.ph |
| Presiding Justice | |
| Currently | Hon.Geraldine Faith Econg |
| Since | January 7, 2025 |
| Lead position ends | August 6, 2037 |
 |
|---|
 Philippines portal |
TheSandiganbayan (lit. 'Support of the nation'[2]) is a specialappellate collegial court in thePhilippines that has jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involvinggraft and corrupt practices and other offenses committed by public officers and employees with a salary grade 27 and up,[3] including those ingovernment-owned and controlled corporations. The special court was established by Presidential Decree No. 1486. It was subsequently modified by Presidential Decree No. 1606 and by Republic Acts 7975, 8249 and 10660.[4][5][6][7][8] It is equal in rank to theCourt of Appeals, and consists of fourteen Associate Justices and one Presiding Justice.[9] TheOffice of the Ombudsman owns exclusive authority to bring cases to the Sandiganbayan.[10]
The Sandiganbayan is housed in the Centennial Building,Commonwealth Avenue,National Government Center,Diliman,Quezon City.
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The Sandiganbayan was established under the administration ofPresident Ferdinand E. Marcos on June 11, 1978, by Presidential Decree No. 1486 in the1973 Constitution. The court was equal in rank to the Regional Trial Courts (then known as the Courts of First Instance). On December 10, 1978, Presidential Decree No. 1606 elevated the ranking of the Sandiganbayan to match that of theCourt of Appeals, the second-highest judicial court in the Philippines. The Sandiganbayan began operations on February 12, 1979.[11]
Amendments were introduced in Republic Acts No. 7975 and No. 8249, after theEDSA Revolution in 1986, which limited the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan to "cases involving public officials occupying positions classified as salary grade 27 and higher."[11]
The Sandiganbayan currently sits in seven divisions of three justices each, as per R.A. No. 10660, amending P.D. No. 1606.[12]
In October 2024, CJAlexander Gesmundo led thegroundbreaking for the 13-storey Sandiganbayan Building II. Thegreen building will rise on a 2,588-square meter property adjacent to the Sandiganbayan Centennial Building. Designed by theUniversity of the Philippines College of Engineering, the Building Research Services with the National Engineering Center is responsible for the preparation of the Detailed Architectural and Engineering Design.[13]
When the Sandiganbayan began operations in 1979, it was composed of only one division (with Hon. Manuel R. Pamaran as Presiding Justice and two Associate Justices) and a 15-membered skeleton crew. In 1981, a second division was launched. A third division was formed on August 4, 1982.[11]
In the wake of the assassination ofBenigno Aquino, Jr. in August 1983, Ferdinand Marcos submitted the case for an immediate trial to the Sandiganbayan. Marcos' critics, who included business leaders and church leaders, claimed that the Sandiganbayan had no experience in trying a murder and demanded an appointment of an imperial prosecutor and independent judicial body instead.[14]
In 1984, the 26 people accused in the assassination of Aquino were acquitted by the Sandiganbayan in a 90-page verdict. The verdict disregarded all findings of the Agrava Commission, which was appointed to investigate the assassination.[15]
On June 13, 1985, the Sandiganbayan, with the aid of the commission, threw out the case againstGeneral Fabian Ver, the chief of theArmed Forces of the Philippines, together with seven other military men. The Sandiganbayan voted for the exclusion of their testimonies in that they were self-incriminatory and inadmissible as evidence. TheSupreme Court upheld this decision by a vote of 10–3 in August. Ver was soon reinstated as chief of staff by Marcos on December 2.[16]
On February 2, 1987, a new constitution was ratified underPresident Corazon Aquino. The 1987 Constitution dictated theseparation of powers and a system of checks and balances between the executive, legislature, and judiciary branches.[17]
The 1987 Constitution expanded the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan to include ill-gotten wealth cases investigated by thePresidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). In April 1994,Imelda Marcos and three former officials of the Ministry of Human Settlements (MHS) were indicted for the misappropriation of PHP97.9 million in MHS funds in 1985. At the same time, however, the Sandiganbayan dismissed charges against Imelda Marcos in connection with the sale of $125.9 million in Central Bank Treasury notes in the 1980s.[18]
Under the 1987 Philippine Constitution and theOmbudsman Act of 1989, the Office of the Ombudsman independently monitors all three branches of the government for political corruption.
Laws on graft and corruption have been in effect as early as the 1950s, before the creation of the Sandiganbayan. Graft and corruption laws govern both public officers and natural persons.[19] The collection of these laws is overseen by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act is a law that stipulates that the Philippine Government shall repress certain acts of both public officers and the natural persons that may constitute graft or corruption. Acts that are subject under these laws include graft, divulging otherwise private information, negligence in warranted requests, undue injury by a public officer to any party – private or government – in the form of unwarranted benefits or disadvantages.[19]
In the case of unexplained accrual of wealth, R.A. No. 1379 states that a petition may be filed against any public officer who has acquired property unlawfully, be it through graft or any form of corruption. This petition should come from theSolicitor General of the Republic of the Philippines as per complaint by a taxpayer.
Any public officer who amasses a certain amount of ill-gotten wealth (at least fifty-million pesos) through means of criminal acts – be it by himself or in connivance with other, shall be subject toreclusion perpetua, a form ofimprisonment for life. Any accomplice shall be sentenced with the same.[20]
Under the Government Procurement Reform Act, public officers who commits any of the following who colludes with private individuals performs the following illegal acts in RA 9184 will suffer an imprisonment of not less than six years and one day, but not more than fifteen years.
To determine whether the Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction, lawyers look into two criteria, namely: the nature of the offense and the salary grade of the public official.[22]
The Sandiganbayan shall have original exclusive jurisdiction over:
Provided that the accused belongs to a salary grade of 27 or higher, the Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over:
Private individuals can also be sued in cases before the Sandiganbayan if they are alleged to be in conspiracy with the public officer.[22]
The Sandiganbayan is vested with appellate jurisdiction over final judgments, resolutions or orders of theRegional Trial Court whether in the exercise of their original or appellate jurisdiction over crimes and civil cases falling within the original exclusive jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan but which were committed by public officers below Salary Grade 27.[22]
The Sandiganbayan has a total of fifteen departments (two head offices, twelve divisions, and one Legal Research and Technical Staff) and a total of 385 authorized positions. 335 of 385 of these positions are filled.[23]
According to the Presidential Decree No. 1606, Section 1, the Presiding Justice and all Associate Justices shall be appointed by the president, as amended by Republic Act 8249.[24]
Appointment of the Court Officials and other employees, however, is not dependent on the president. According to Rule II, Section 7 of the Revised Internal Rules of the Sandiganbayan, "The Supreme Court shall appoint theClerk of Court, the Division Clerks of Court and all other personnel of the Sandiganbayan upon recommendation of the Sandiganbayanen banc chosen from a list of qualified applicants prepared in accordance with the Civil Service Law, rules and regulations."[25]
Presidential Decree No. 1606 further states that "No person shall be appointed Presiding Justice or Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan; unless he is natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least 40 years of age and for at least ten years has been a judge of a court of record or been engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines or has held office requiring admission to the bar as a pre-requisite for a like period.[24]
The Sandiganbayan originally had three divisions that assisted the Office of the Presiding Justice, according to the Article XIII of the1973 Constitution. The number of divisions was raised to five divisions in 1995. In 2015, through the Republic Act 10660, under theAquino Administration, the number of divisions was expanded to seven divisions.[26] Currently, the Sandiganbayan has Office of the Presiding Justice, Office of the Clerk of Court, Legal Research and Technical Staff, seven divisions (Office of the Deputy Clerk of Court), and five other divisions namely Judicial Records Division, Administrative Division, Budget and Finance Division, Management Information System Division, Security and Sheriff Services Division. The functions and roles of these offices and divisions are:[24][27]
The Sandiganbayan holds regular sessions in its principal office in Metro Manila. Sessions may be held outside of Metro Manila when authorized by the Presiding Justice. Cases are heard eitheren banc or more commonly, by divisions.[28]
Cases are distributed among the divisions through a raffle system. The assignment of a case to a division is permanent, regardless of changes in constitution. Justices may inhibit (i.e., recuse) themselves from a case if they served asPonente, the Member to whom the Court, after its deliberation on the merits of a case, assigns the writing of its decision or resolution in the case[29]. in the appealed decision of the lower court, or if they or their family members are personally related with the case, or for any other compelling reason. In case of inhibition (recusal) or disqualification, the case will remain with the same division, but the recused justice will be replaced.[28]
Cases may reach the Sandiganbayan either through anappeal from a Regional Trial Court or byoriginal petition filed with the Sandiganbayan.[28] After a case is raffled to a Division, the accused party must bearraigned within thirty days. A pre-trial conference is then held to reach an agreement and issue a pre-trial order. The case is then taken to trial.[30] Following the Speedy Trial Act of 1998, no trial may exceed six months from its starting date. However, the act also allows for certain delays that are excluded from the computed time of trial, including delays caused by other related proceedings involving the accused, absence of the accused or essential witness, and mental or physical incompetence of the accused to stand trial.[31]
Cases are deemed submitted for decision after the last brief, pleading, or memorandum is filed, or after the deadline for doing so has passed. All adjudicatory action is exercised through the divisions of the Sandiganbayan. The rendition of judgment or final order is based on the unanimous vote of the three Justices in the deciding division. When the Sandiganbayan sitsen banc to resolve motions and other incidents, at least eight justices must vote in order to adopt a resolution.[28]
In a joint trial involving multiple cases, a joint or separate judgment may be rendered by the division. In cases involving multiple accused, the division may also render judgment for one or more of the accused by a unanimous vote.[28]
If a unanimous vote cannot be reached in any case, a special division of five will be formed to decide the case by majority vote.Promulgation is done by reading the judgment aloud with the accused present along with any Justice from the deciding division. Decisions are published in theOfficial Gazette or theofficial website of the Sandiganbayan.[28]
In general, a party sentenced to any penalty lower thandeath, life imprisonment, orreclusion perpetua mayappeal by filing a motion forreconsideration or a motion for new trial within fifteen days of promulgation of judgment. If a new trial is granted, the previous judgment will be overruled and the new judgment rendered. New trials must also not exceed six months in duration, albeit allowing for certain delays as specified in the Speedy Trial Act.[31] For civil cases, the accused party may file for a petition for a writ ofcertiorari with the Supreme Court. If the party files an appeal to the Supreme Court, any motion of reconsideration filed to the Sandiganbayan will be deemed abandoned.[28]
If the accused party wishes to appeal from a sentence of life imprisonment orreclusion perpetua, a notice of appeal is filed with the Sandiganbayan and presented to the adverse party. In cases where the Sandiganbayan sentences the accused to death penalty, an automatic appeal follows where the Supreme Court will conduct a review of judgment before the final decision is rendered.[28]
In June 2014, plunder charges against former Philippine senatorJinggoy Estrada and several other members of Congress allegedly involved in thepork barrel scam run byJanet Lim-Napoles were filed by the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan. Estrada was accused of plundering ₱183 million from thePriority Development Assistance Fund.[32]
In December 2014, all three justices of the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division (Associate Justices Roland Jurado, Alexander Gesmundo and Ma. Theresa Gómez-Estoesta) assigned to the case against Estrada recused themselves from the case for "personal reasons". This marked the first time in the court's history that an entire division withdrew from hearing a case. Though the justices refused to elaborate on their reasons for recusal, the withdrawal was said to have been due to "pressure" from the public to deny Estrada's petition for bail.[33]
In 1991, ten counts of graft were filed against former first ladyImelda Marcos before the Sandiganbayan. Marcos was accused of creating private Swiss foundations during her time as governor of Metro Manila, between 1978 and 1984. She was also accused of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by holding financial interests in multiple private enterprises. The government has since uncovered Marcos Swiss deposits amounting to $658 million.[34]
Another corruption case against Marcos involving "unlawfully acquired" art collections amounting to $24 million has been brought to the Sandiganbayan by appeals from thePresidential Commission on Good Government and theOffice of the Solicitor General. The case is being handled by the Special First Division of the Sandiganbayan.[34]
The case against Imelda Marcos has been ongoing for over 26 years due to multiple causes of delay in court proceedings. In 2017, Marcos was absent from what was scheduled to be her last day of trial for the graft case. In the same year, the trial was reset by the Fifth Division due to the failure of the defense to present their last evidence in the case.[34]
The Sandiganbayan consists of a Presiding justice and twenty associate justices. Among the current members of the Court,Sarah Jane Fernandez is the longest-serving justice, with a tenure of3,859 days (10 years, 206 days) as of November 27, 2025; the most recent justice to enter the court isLord A. Villanueva, whose tenure began on January 30, 2025.
Number of Incumbent Justices
by 1 (appointment of SAJ Gomez-Estoesta as SC Court Administrator onSep 1, 2025)
| Office | Justice (Date of Birth) | Date Appointed[35] | Appointed by | Date of Retirement (70 years old)[36] | Replacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presiding Justice | Geraldine Faith Abracia Econg (1967-08-06)August 6, 1967 (age 58) | Jan 7, 2025[37] | Marcos, Jr. | Aug 6, 2037 | Cabotaje-Tang |
| Senior Associate Justice | Sarah Jane Fernandez (1969-05-14)May 14, 1969 (age 56) | May 5, 2015[38] | Aquino III | May 14, 2039 | Ong |
| Associate Justice | Michael Frederick Musñgi (1965-04-14)April 14, 1965 (age 60) | Jan 20, 2016[39] | Aquino III | Apr 14, 2035 | New Seat |
| Associate Justice | Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega (1965-12-18)December 18, 1965 (age 59) | Jan 20, 2016[39] | Aquino III | Dec 18, 2035 | New Seat |
| Associate Justice | KarlB. Miranda (1957-10-09)October 9, 1957 (age 68) | Jan 20, 2016[39] | Aquino III | Oct 9, 2027 | New Seat |
| Associate Justice | Zaldy V. Trespreses (1972-12-30)December 30, 1972 (age 52) | Jan 20, 2016[39] | Aquino III | Dec 30, 2042 | New Seat |
| Associate Justice | Lorifel Lacap-Pahimna (1961-02-10)February 10, 1961 (age 64) | Mar 1, 2017[40] | Duterte | Feb 10, 2031 | Inoturan |
| Associate Justice | Edgardo M. Caldona (1970-02-12)February 12, 1970 (age 55) | Mar 10, 2017[41] | Duterte | Feb 12, 2040 | Hernandez |
| Associate Justice | Bayani H. Jacinto (1969-04-30)April 30, 1969 (age 56) | May 29, 2017 | Duterte | Apr 30, 2039 | Jurado |
| Associate Justice | Maryann E. Corpus-Mañalac (1966-07-27)July 27, 1966 (age 59) | Dec 8, 2017[42] | Duterte | Jul 27, 2036 | Cornejo |
| Associate Justice | Kevin Narce B. Vivero (1960-01-02)January 2, 1960 (age 65) | Nov 28, 2017[43] | Duterte | Jan 2, 2030 | Martires |
| Associate Justice | Georgina Dumpit-Hidalgo (1964-04-14)April 14, 1964 (age 61) | Jan 18, 2018[44] | Duterte | Apr 14, 2034 | Ponferrada |
| Associate Justice | Ronald Bautista Moreno (1970-01-23)January 23, 1970 (age 55) | Jun 8, 2018[45] | Duterte | Jan 23, 2040 | Gesmundo |
| Associate Justice | Arthur Oliveros Malabaguio (1965-01-10)January 10, 1965 (age 60) | Mar 4, 2022[46] | Duterte | Jan 10, 2035 | Cruz |
| Associate Justice | Juliet Marquez Manalo-San Gaspar (1971-07-02)July 2, 1971 (age 54) | Sep 26, 2023[47] | Marcos Jr. | Jul 2, 2041 | Quiroz |
| Associate Justice | J. Ermin Ernest Louie Ramirez Miguel (1971-01-22)January 22, 1971 (age 54) | Oct 8, 2024[48] | Marcos Jr. | Jan 22, 2041 | Herrera Jr. |
| Associate Justice | Gener Malalian Gito (1971-07-17)July 17, 1971 (age 54) | Oct 8, 2024[48] | Marcos Jr. | Jul 17, 2041 | Dela Cruz |
| Associate Justice | Lord Apalisoc Villanueva (1975-06-09)June 9, 1975 (age 50) | Jan 30, 2025[49] | Marcos Jr. | Jun 9, 2045 | Lagos |
| Associate Justice | Marcos Jr. | Econg | |||
| Associate Justice | Marcos Jr. | B. Fernandez | |||
| Associate Justice | Marcos Jr. | Gomez-Estoesta |
| Post | First Division | Second Division | Third Division | Fourth Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairperson | M. Mendoza-Arcega | G. Econg Presiding Justice | K. Miranda | M. Musñgi |
| Members | ||||
| Post | Fifth Division | Sixth Division | Seventh Division | |
| Chairperson | Z. Trespreses | S. Fernandez (Senior Associate Justice) | L. Pahimna | |
| Members |
Note:The verticalBlue line denotes "now" (November 27, 2025).
Bar key:| President | Total (Percentage) | Justices |
|---|---|---|
| Aquino III | 7 (33.33%) |
|
| Duterte | 9 (42.86%) |
|
| Bongbong Marcos | 4 (19.05%) |
|
| Vacant | 3 (14.29%) | |
| Gender | Total (Percentage) | Justices |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 12 (47.62%) |
|
| Female | 9 (42.86%) |
|
| Vacant | 3 (14.29%) | |
| Retirement year | Total (Percentage) | Justices |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| 2030 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| 2031 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| 2034 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| 2035 | 3 (14.29%) |
|
| 2036 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| 2037 | 1 (9.52%) |
|
| 2039 | 2 (9.52%) |
|
| 2040 | 2 (9.52%) |
|
| 2041 | 3 (14.29%) |
|
| 2041 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| 2045 | 1 (4.76%) |
|
| Vacant | 3 (14.29%) | |
| No. | NOSJ | SOT | Pos. | AO | Rep. | PJ (s) | EOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manuel Pamaran | December 10, 1978 | PJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | FirstPresiding Justice | March 31, 1986 |
| 2 | Bernardo Fernandez | December 10, 1978 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | June 11, 1981 |
| 3 | Romeo Escareal | December of 10, 1978[i] | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | March 5, 1996 |
| 4 | Buenaventura Guerrero | December 8, 1980 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | May 16, 1986 |
| 5 | Conrado Molina | December 8, 1980 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | July 18, 1992 |
| 6 | Moises Kallos | December 8, 1980 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | December 15, 1983 |
| 7 | Ramon Jabson | November 20, 1981 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | Fernandez | Pamaran | May 18, 1988 |
| 8 | Fidel Purisima | August 4, 1982 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | March 10, 1984 |
| 9 | Francisco Consolacion | August 4, 1982 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | |
| 10 | Romulo Quimbo | August 4, 1982 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | + | Pamaran | May 16, 1986 |
| 11 | Augusto Amores | October 7, 1984 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | Kallos | Pamaran | July 5, 1995 |
| 12 | Amante Alconcel | October 7, 1984 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | Purisima | Pamaran | May 16, 1986 |
| 13 | Bienvenido Vera Cruz | October 7, 1984 | AJ | Marcos, Sr. | Consolacion | Pamaran | |
| 14 | Francis Garchitorena | Apr 18, 1986 | PJ | C. Aquino | Pamaran | Escareal (acting) | January 16, 2002 |
| 15 | Regino C. Hermosisima Jr. | May 16, 1986 | AJ | C. Aquino | None | Garchitorena | July 18, 1995 |
| 16 | Luciano Joson | May 21, 1986 | AJ | C. Aquino | None | Garchitorena | January 3, 1990 |
| 17 | Cipriano del Rosario | May 22, 1986 | AJ | C. Aquino | None | Garchitorena | March 15, 2001 |
| 18 | Jose Balajadia | May 30, 1986 | AJ | C. Aquino | None | Garchitorena | February 14, 1998 |
| 19 | Nathanael Grospe | Dec 2, 1988 | AJ | C. Aquino | Jabson | Garchitorena | January 16, 1993 |
| 20 | Sabino de Leon Jr. | March 13, 1990 | AJ | C. Aquino | Joson | Garchitorena | October 11, 1999 |
| 21 | Narciso Atienza | September 14, 1992 | AJ | Ramos | Molina | Garchitorena | December 17, 1993 |
| 22 | Minita Chico-Nazario | May 10, 1993 | AJ | Ramos | Gorospe | Garchitorena | February 28, 2003 |
| February 26, 2003 acting since Jan 16, 2002 | PJ | Macapagal-Arroyo | Garchitorena | Sandoval (acting) | February 10, 2004 | ||
| 23 | Roberto Lagman | November 28, 1994 | AJ | Ramos | Atienza | Garchitorena | February 14, 1998 |
| 24 | Harriet Demetriou | August 28, 1995 | AJ | Ramos | Amores | Garchitorena | |
| 25 | Edilberto Sandoval | March 11, 1996[ii] | AJ | Ramos | Hermosisima Jr. | Garchitorena | September 17, 2010 |
| September 17, 2010 | PJ | Macapagal-Arroyo | Geraldez | Villaruz Jr. (acting) | October 4, 2011 | ||
| 26 | Leonardo Cruz | March 11, 1996 | AJ | Ramos | Escareal | Garchitorena | March 11, 1997 |
| 27 | Teresita De Castro | September 8, 1997 | AJ | Ramos | + | Garchitorena | December 15, 2004 |
| December 15, 2004 | PJ | Arroyo | Chico-Nazario | Sandoval (acting) | December 3, 2007 | ||
| 28 | Anacleto Badoy Jr. | September 8, 1997 | AJ | Ramos | + | Garchitorena | March 11, 2002 |
| 29 | German Lee Jr. | September 8, 1997 | AJ | Ramos | + | Garchitorena | September 18, 1998[iii] |
| 30 | Godofredo Legaspi | September 8, 1997 | AJ | Ramos | + | Garchitorena | September 8, 2006 |
| 31 | Narciso S. Nario | September 8, 1997 | AJ | Ramos | + | Garchitorena | January 15, 2002 |
| 32 | Catalino Castañeda Jr. | September 8, 1997 | AJ | Ramos | + | Garchitorena | January 15, 2002 |
| 33 | Gregory S. Ong | October 5, 1998[iv] | AJ | Estrada | Ballajadia | Garchitorena | September 23, 2014 |
| 34 | Ricardo Ilarde | October 7, 1998 | AJ | Estrada | Lagman | Garchitorena | March 3, 2001 |
| 35 | Rodolfo Palattao | October 9, 1998 | AJ | Estrada | Demetriou | Garchitorena | March 3, 2003 |
| 36 | Alfredo Gustillo | October 5, 1998 | AJ | Estrada | Cruz | Garchitorena | March 3, 1999 |
| 37 | Maria Cristina Cortez-Estrada | October 19, 1998 | AJ | Estrada | Lee, Jr. | Garchitorena | July 2, 2009 |
| July 2, 2009 | PJ | Arroyo | Peralta | Villaruz Jr. (acting) | November 30, 2009 | ||
| 38 | Raoul Victorino | January 31, 2000 | AJ | Estrada | Gustillo | Garchitorena | February 15, 2005 |
| 39 | Nicodemo Ferrer | January 31, 2000 | AJ | Estrada | de León, Jr. | Garchitorena | February 15, 2002 |
| 40 | Francisco Villaruz Jr. | October 2, 2001 | AJ | Arroyo | Ilarde | Garchitorena | October 5, 2011 |
| October 5, 2011 | PJ | B. Aquino III | Sandoval | G. Ong (acting) | June 8, 2013 | ||
| 41 | Diosdado Peralta | June 14, 2002 | AJ | Arroyo | del Rosario | Chico-Nazario | March 28, 2008 |
| March 28, 2008 | PJ | Arroyo | de Castro | Sandoval (acting) | January 14, 2009 | ||
| 42 | Norberto Geraldez | Jan 21, 2003 | AJ | Arroyo | Nario, Sr. | Chico-Nazario | February 28, 2010 |
| February 28, 2010 | PJ | Arroyo | Cortéz-Estrada | Villaruz Jr. (acting) | April 4, 2010 | ||
| 43 | Roland Jurado | October 3, 2003 | AJ | Arroyo | Castañeda, Jr. | Chico-Nazario | February 1, 2017 |
| 44 | Efren de la Cruz | October 10, 2003 | AJ | Arroyo | Ferrer | Chico-Nazario | June 18, 2024 |
| 45 | Teresita Diaz-Baldos | October 17, 2003 | AJ | Arroyo | Badoy Jr. | Chico-Nazario | July 22, 2016 |
| 46 | Jose Hernandez | March 9, 2004 | AJ | Arroyo | Palattao | Chico-Nazario | November 22, 2016 |
| 47 | Rodolfo Ponferrada | August 23, 2004 | AJ | Arroyo | Chico-Nazario | Chico-Nazario | September 13, 2017 |
| 48 | Alexander Gesmundo | Oct 15, 2005 | AJ | Arroyo | Leonardo-de Castro | de Castro | August 14, 2017 |
| 49 | Samuel Martires | October 15, 2005 | AJ | Arroyo | Victorino | de Castro | March 2, 2017 |
| 50 | Napoleon Inoturan | April 4, 2008 | AJ | Arroyo | Legaspí | Peralta | August 1, 2016 |
| 51 | Alex Quiroz | December 11, 2008 | AJ | Arroyo | Peralta | Peralta | July 28, 2022 |
| 52 | Maria Cristina Cornejo | May 1, 2010 | AJ | Arroyo | Cortéz-Estrada | Sandoval | March 1, 2017 |
| 53 | Rafael Lagos | December 9, 2010 | AJ | B. Aquino III | Geraldez | Sandoval | December 22, 2024 |
| 54 | Oscar Herrera, Jr. | April 26, 2011 | AJ | B. Aquino III | Sandóval | Villaruz, Jr. | May 23, 2024 |
| 55 | Amparo Cabotaje-Tang | June 11, 2012 | AJ | B. Aquino III | Villaruz, Jr. | Villaruz, Jr. | October 7, 2013 |
| October 7, 2013 | PJ | B. Aquino III | Villaruz, Jr. | G. Ong (acting) | November 8, 2024 | ||
| 56 | Maria Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta | Jun 20, 2014 | AJ | B. Aquino III | Cabotaje-Tang | Sept 1, 2025 | |
| 57 | Sarah Jane Fernandez | May 5, 2015 | AJ | B. Aquino III | G. Ong | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 58 | Michael Frederick Musñgi | Jan 20, 2016 | AJ | B. Aquino III | + | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 59 | Reynaldo Cruz | Jan 20, 2016 | AJ | B. Aquino III | + | Cabotaje-Tang | Feb 21, 2020 |
| 60 | Geraldine Faith Econg | Jan 20, 2016 | AJ | B. Aquino III | + | Cabotaje-Tang | Jan 7, 2025 |
| Jan 7, 2025 | PJ | Marcos Jr. | Cabotaje-Tang | Gomez-Estoesta (acting) | Incumbent | ||
| 61 | Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega | Jan 20, 2016 | AJ | B. Aquino III | + | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 62 | Karl Miranda | Jan 20, 2016 | AJ | B. Aquino III | + | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 63 | Zaldy Trespeses | Jan 20, 2016 | AJ | B. Aquino III | + | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 64 | Bernelito Fernandez | Oct 28, 2016 | AJ | Duterte | Díaz-Baldos | Cabotaje-Tang | Jun 9, 2025 |
| 65 | Lorifel Lacap-Pahimna | Mar 1, 2017 | AJ | Duterte | Inoturan | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 66 | Edgardo Caldona | Mar 10, 2017 | AJ | Duterte | Hernández | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 67 | Bayani Jacinto | May 29, 2017 | AJ | Duterte | Jurado | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 68 | Kevin Narce Vivero | Nov 28, 2017 | AJ | Duterte | Martires | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 69 | Maryann Corpus-Mañalac | Dec 8, 2017 | AJ | Duterte | Cornejo | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 70 | Georgina Hidalgo | Jan 18, 2018 | AJ | Duterte | Ponferrada | Cabotaje-Tang | incumbent |
| 71 | Ronald Moreno | Jun 8, 2018 | AJ | Duterte | Gesmundo | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 72 | Arthur Malabaguio | May 24, 2021 | AJ | Duterte | Cruz | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 73 | Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar | Sept 27, 2023 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | Quiroz | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 74 | J. Ermin Ernest Louie Miguel | Oct 8, 2024 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | de la Cruz | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 75 | Gener Gito | Oct 8, 2024 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | Herrera, Jr. | Cabotaje-Tang | Incumbent |
| 76 | Lord Villanueva | Jan 30, 2025 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | Lagos | Econg | Incumbent |
| 77 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | Econg | Econg | |||
| 78 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | B. Fernandez | Econg | |||
| 79 | AJ | Marcos Jr. | Gomez-Estoesta | Econg |
The Associate Justices of the Court are usually ordered according to the date of their appointment. There are no official ramifications as to this ranking, although the order determines the seating arrangement on the bench and is duly considered in all matters of protocol. Within the discretion of the Court, the ranking may also factor into the composition of the divisions of the Court.
The incumbent Justice with the earliest date of appointment is deemed the Senior Associate Justice. The Senior Associate Justice has no constitutional or statutory duties, but usually acts as Acting Presiding Justice during the absence of the Presiding Justice. The Senior Associate Justice is not usually designated as the chairperson of the second division of the Court.
The following became Senior Associate Justices in their tenure in the Sandiganbayan:
| No. | SAJ | DA | TRE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bernardo Fernandez | Dec 10, 1978 | Dec 10, 1978 | Jun 18, 1981 |
| 2 | Romeo Escareal | Dec 10, 1978 | Jun 11, 1981 | Mar 5, 1996 |
| 3 | Cipriano Del Rosario | May 22, 1986 | Mar 5, 1996 | Mar 15, 2001 |
| 4 | Minita Chico-Nazario | May 10, 1993 | Mar 15, 2001 | Feb 28, 2003* |
| 5 | Edilberto Sandoval | Mar 11, 1996 | Feb 28, 2003 | Sep 17, 2010 |
| 6 | Gregory S. Ong | Oct 5, 1998 | Sep 17, 2010 | Sep 23, 2014[v] |
| 7 | Roland Jurado | Oct 3, 2003 | Sep 23, 2014 | Feb 1, 2017[vi] |
| 8 | Efren N. de la Cruz | Oct 10, 2003 | Feb 1, 2017 | Jun 18, 2024 |
| 9 | Rafael Lagos | Dec 9, 2010 | Jun 18, 2024 | Dec 22, 2024 |
| 10 | Maria Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta | Jun 20, 2014 | Dec 22, 2024 | Sep 1, 2025[vii] |
| 11 | Sarah Jane Fernandez | May 11, 2015 | Sep 1, 2025 | incumbent |
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