A widowed mother and magistrate of the Sandiganbayan who tried the sequestration case involving the assets of industrialist Lucio Tan is the new presiding justice of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.
Sandiganbayan Justice Ma. Cristina Cortez-Estrada, whose lawyer parents used to work in the Malacañang Law Division during the administration of former President Diosdado Macapagal was named as the new Sandigan Presiding Jusitce.
President Arroyo signed Estrada’s new appointment last dated July 2, 2009
Estrada is the widow of the late labor lawyer Alfredo Estrada who was killed while defending a case of company workers.
Estrada is the current chairperson of the Sandiganbayan 5th Division whose handling the controversial claim of the Marcos family to the assets and corporations of business tycoon Lucio Tan. She replaced former Presiding Justice Diosdado Peralta who was promoted to the SC as Associate Justice.
Born on Nov. 30, 1939 in Manila and a native of Isabela, Estrada is the daughter of the late Emiliano Cortez, the former Chief of the Malacañang Law Division and the late Antonia Gaffud.
She started her career in Malacañang with the Office of President Diosdado Macapagal as Clerical Aide in the year 1961. Estrada became a Legal Officer in Malacañang in the year 1963 until she was appointed as RTC Judge of Legaspi City in the year 1983. She served the RTC for 15 years until she was appointed at the Sandiganbayan as Associate Justice on March 3, 1998.
Estrada’s three children are all professionals now. One is a doctor, the other is a lawyer and the youngest one holds a masteral degree in Business Administration.
Estrada is a product of the University of the Philippines College of Law. Benjamin B. Pulta
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