Former SC magistrate to lead probe on Napoles-linked Sandiganbayan Justice

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court on Wednesday assigned retired Associate Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez to probe the alleged links of a Sandiganbayan Associate Justice with suspected pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.

The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that the high court en banc decided to designate Gutierrez to lead the administrative investigation on Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong.

The report said Gutierrez was tasked to submit to the SC her recommendations related to the issues that were thrown against Ong.

Napoles is the alleged mastermind of P10-billion pork barrel and P900-million Malampaya Fund scams.

According to previous reports, whistle-blowers had revealed before a Senate hearing that the Sandiganbayan magistrate was often seen attending parties and gatherings hosted by Napoles.

Read: Sandigan’s Ong mum on probe

In August 2013, an online news website published a photo of Ong with Napoles and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who had been charged of plunder in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Ong was a member of the Sandiganbayan’s fourth division, which cleared Napoles in the Kevlar helmet case involving ghost purchase of 500 Kevlar helmets using government funds in 1998.

Ong voluntarily submitted himself to the SC probe in a letter to Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno last Sept. 26.