Ronald Moreno
Ronald Moreno | |
|---|---|
| Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan | |
| Assumed office June 8, 2018 | |
| Appointed by | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Alexander Gesmundo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 23, 1970 |
| Education | University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law (JD) |
Ronald Bautista Moreno is a Filipino judge who is currently serving as Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan.[1][2] He succeeded Justice Alexander Gesmundo who was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. On July 31, 2026, Moreno voted to grant the bail petition of former senator Bong Revilla during his flood control malversation case, resulting in the court's controversial decision to approve Revilla's bail at ₱1 million.
Early life and education
[edit]Moreno graduated from the University of Santo Tomas, where he received his law degree.[3] He passed the Philippine Bar Examination in 1995.[4]
Judicial career
[edit]Moreno served as presiding judge at the Makati Regional Trial Court, Branch 147 from his 2012 appointment by President Benigno Aquino III until mid-2018.[3]
On June 8, 2018, Moreno was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan for its Third Division.[3]
In January 2020, Moreno concurred in the decision by the Sandiganbayan's Third Division to convict Al Vitangcol III, the former general manager of Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3), for graft and violation of procurement law due to giving advantage to PH Trams, of which his uncle-in-law Arturo Soriano served as incorporator, in winning a 2012 maintenance contract from the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) by remaining silent on his connection to Soriano.[5]
In June 2021, Moreno was among the four out of five Sandiganbayan justices in the Third Division who voted to acquit former Makati mayor Elenita Binay in her graft case involving her alleged granting of a ₱45 million contract to Apollo Medical Equipment and Supplies in supplying hospital beds and sterilizers to Ospital ng Makati in 2000 and 2001 without public bidding; two of her co-accused, administrative officer Jaime delos Reyes and supply officer Conrado Paminutan, were otherwise convicted.[6][7] By 2024, all of Binay charges were cleared by the Sandiganbayan two decades after their initial filing.[8][9][10]
In August 2025, Moreno penned the 202-page Sandiganbayan decision to acquit former vice president Jejomar Binay, his son and former Makati mayor Junjun, and 22 other co-accused in five counts of graft involving an allegedly overpriced car park building constructed for ₱2.3 billion as part of Makati City Hall.[11][12] In the decision, Moreno cited the prosecution's failure in proving their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt: "that the statements contained in the assailed documents were absolutely false. Consequently, the allegation of conspiracy must also fail."[13]
On July 31, 2026, Moreno was one of two Sandiganbayan justices in the Third Division who voted to grant the bail petition of former senator Bong Revilla during his malversation case involving an anomalous flood control project in Pandi, Bulacan, resulting in the court's decision to approve Revilla's bail at ₱1 million on the basis that the prosecution's evidence is "not enough to establish that the evidence of guilt against accused Revilla is strong."[14] The decision has been criticized for the perceived unequal granting of bail amongst the seven respondents in the malversation case, with Revilla, a politician, being the sole person granted bail by the Sandiganbayan.[15] Moreno himself voted against the granting of bail to five other co-accused of Revilla, with his sole other favorable vote for bail being for Christina Mae Pineda, a cashier at the Department of Public Works and Highways.[15] Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla later voiced his suspicion that someone "worked" to have the decision be in Revilla's favor, but affirmed that Revilla's case is "only a battle. We have to win the war [against corruption] as a country."[16][17]
References
[edit]- ↑ Charm, Neil. "RTC judge appointed to Sandiganbayan | BusinessWorld". BusinessWorld. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ↑ "Duterte appoints Ronald Moreno as Sandiganbayan justice". Rappler. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- 1 2 3 Parrocha, Azer (January 16, 2019). "PRRD appoints new Sandiganbayan Associate Justice". Philippine News Agency. Manila. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
Duterte appointed Moreno on June 8, 2018 but his appointment paper was only released to the media on Wednesday [January 16].
- ↑ "967 pass bar examinations". Manila Standard. Vol. X, no. 48. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. March 29, 1996. p. 22. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Buan, Lian (February 6, 2020). "Ex-MRT chief Al Vitangcol convicted of graft over maintenance contract". Rappler. Manila, Philippines. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Buan, Lian (June 10, 2021). "Elenita Binay acquitted, underlings fall in P45-M hospital beds case". Rappler. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Bolledo, Jairo (January 25, 2024). "LIST: Elenita Binay's acquittals at the Sandiganbayan". Rappler. Manila, Philippines. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Panti, Llanesca T. (January 22, 2024). "Sandigan clears ex-Makati mayor Elenita Binay of graft, malversation". GMA News Online. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Papa, Alcuin (August 22, 2003). "Graft, plunder raps filed vs Binay". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Vol. 18, no. 255. p. A19. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Ramos, Marlon (November 21, 2014). "Dr. Binay buys time in cases against her". Inquirer.net. Manila, Philippines. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Reyes, Dempsey; Argosino, Faith (August 23, 2025). "Binays, 22 others acquitted in Makati parking building case". Inquirer.net. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ "What went before: Makati City Hall Building II probe". Inquirer.net. October 10, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Ki, Czarina Nicole Ong (August 22, 2025). "Binays, others acquitted in 23 cases on P2.2-B Makati City Hall Parking Building". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 8, 2026.
- ↑ Mendoza, John Eric (July 31, 2026). "Bong Revilla granted bail, temporary release approved". Inquirer.net. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- 1 2 Bolledo, Jairo (August 1, 2026). "Revilla's P1-M bail: What 'weak evidence' bought him". Rappler. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- ↑ Sampang, Dianne (August 1, 2026). "Remulla: Someone may have 'worked' to secure Revilla bail". Inquirer.net. Manila, Philippines. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- ↑ KG (January 20, 2026). "Co-accused of Bong Revilla arrested in Benguet". GMA News Online. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
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