Garchitorena: From judge to defender of Estrada?

He once served as presiding justice of the anti-graft court that is handling the plunder case against deposed President Joseph Estrada. Now former Sandiganbayan presiding justice Francis Garchitorena, who has opted for early retirement, says he is willing to take on a job as Estrada’s defense counsel.

Garchitorena officially bade farewell to his co-justices in the anti-graft court yesterday after 16 years in the judiciary, and said he would go back to private practice.

He said he would not mind accepting sensational cases such as that of Estrada, whose four criminal cases, including the capital crime of plunder, are being tried by the Sandiganbayan.

"It depends upon the offer. I would accept any offer as long as it is decent, honest and good. But it will be foolish for them to offer me their cases because I eat a lot and sleep a lot," Garchitorena said.

Earlier, Garchitorena also expressed interest in becoming a cab driver.

The retired justice’s farewell lunch party was unlike other despedidas (going-away parties) held for other retiring justices because of its informality and the absence of Supreme Court justices, the usual guests in such affairs.

In his farewell speech, Garchitorena recalled his student days as an activist in the pre-martial law years.

He said his biggest achievement in the Sandiganbayan was the discipline he instilled among its officials and employees.

"Many stones were thrown at me. I was hit many times by lightning, that’s why we don’t need to be formal here," Garchitorena said.

For her part acting Presiding Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, who is hearing the cases of Estrada, said that the justices are not happy with their colleague’s fate.

"We are not happy about this. For 16 years, we have worked together. We, the justices of the Sandiganbayan, are proud of his solid integrity and we respect him for that," Nazario said.

Garchitorena, 64, opted for early retirement at the end of last month before the Supreme Court could impose further sanctions on him for the backlog of cases in his sala. The SC had suspended him last November for the cases pile-up dating back to 1987, including controversial issues about Marcos.

Mandatory retirement age for members of the judiciary is 70.

Associate Justice Anacleto Badoy, who chairs the anti-graft court’s third division and is also retiring this month, said that contrary to public perception as a result of the SC suspension, Garchitorena is actually very competent and able.

"Certainly, he is a great loss to the judiciary," Badoy said.

Badoy and Garchitorena earlier figured in a word war over Badoy’s request for additional staff.

"His leadership was so ideal, that could be the reason why the employees love him so much. He has strengthened the Sandiganbayan’s fiscal capability, because of that we had extra benefits," Associate Justice Narciso Nario, chairman of the fourth division, said.