Inigo Rojas

G05

Sandigabayan Division 2
November 9, Wednesday 1:30pm

The first case I was able to observe in the Sandiganbayan was entitled, People vs.
Syjuco. The issue of the first case presented during our visit to the Sandiganbayan Division 2
involved the TESDA company. Syjuco the defendant herein, created a scholarship scheme at
TESDA back in the year 2005 while he was its Director-General. The purpose of such was to be
achieved through tapping the PDAF and TESDA will release from its own budget the same
amount of PDAF as per peso for peso counter parting scheme he established. He used the
PDAF of his wife, a politician worth P20,000,000 with TESDA as channel of the fund, and
released the fund directly to its favored cooperative Tagipusuon based in Iloilo city, the bulwark
of the Syjucos family. The P20,000,000 herein mentioned was never liquidated until 2010 when
Commission of Audit found out about it and required the submission of liquidation documents,
but eventually, Commission of Audit declared that the liquidation done was irregular. The money
was therefore used for purposes other than that which is the mandate of TESDA. The case
ended with Judge Martires ordering the dates of the next hearings and asks the prosecution
how many witnesses they will present, thus there will be witnesses who will testify in the next
hearings that the Syjucos actually run Tagipusuon and those named as its Board of Directors
are employees and even Personal assistants of the Syjucos. The first case was done strictly
according to the court procedures, as the presiding judge specifically told the lawyers of both
parties to act in proper decorum as there were law students watching.

The second case was entitled, People vs. Alanano. It involves a former Mayor and now
Vice Mayor Alanano who received transportation allowance despite the fact that he was already
issued a government vehicle. Thus, contradicting the laws governing government officials and
their means of transportation provided by their office. The more interesting part came during the
presentation of a certain witness who the defense was not able to cross examine; after the
introduction of the witness by the prosecution, the defense objected the presentation of such
witness because they were not given the opportunity to cross examine her because she was not
part of the witness list submitted in the past; however the judge allowed the witness to be
presented because the objection done by the defense was already late, in that, such was raised
after the introduction of the witness on the stand was done, such objection must come before
the witness is able to take the oath on the stand. This was an interesting part because the judge
strictly followed the rules and procedures laid down, and made it a point to show us that such
mistakes can be made by any party in any proceeding.

This particular court visit to the Sandiganbayan definitely affirmed by intention of

becoming a lawyer. While observing the lawyers in the courtroom, I was inspired to pursue my
goal of becoming a lawyer because nature of the nature of their work keep them on their toes at
all times allowing a satisfying result after each time you pour hard work in. The way each team
of lawyers helped each other also reminded me of how important the training in the classroom
is. The recitations conducted by the professors are a mere simulation of what happens in the
courtroom. I was inspired to pursue becoming a lawyer because the it involves dedication and
passion towards work, and having such will allow you to truly grasp love for your work. In this
case I believe that the demand law school and the career of being a lawyer puts on me is what
makes me love it even more and makes me want to put myself in the shoes of the lawyers I
observed.