The province of Oriental Mindoro beams with pride as one of its native sons, Justice Gener M. Gito, has been appointed as the new Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan, per letter signed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Justice Gito hails from Victoria, Oriental Mindoro, and is a proud product of Saint Augustine Seminary Minor (SASMI) in Calapan City.

He is also an esteemed alumnus of the College of Law at San Sebastián College, where his legal journey began.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Atty. Roland Ruga, board member of Oriental Mindoro, extended his warmest congratulations to Justice Gito.

“Congratulations to JUSTICE GENER M. GITO, newly-appointed Associate Justice of Sandiganbayan. We are proud of you!” wrote Ruga, expressing the collective pride of the province and the legal community.

Justice Gito’s appointment to the Sandiganbayan, the anti-graft court of the Philippines, comes at a crucial time.

His leadership and judicial expertise are expected to the court’s mission of upholding integrity and justice within the government, reports said.

Judge Gener M. Gito has had a distinguished legal career.

He was officially appointed as a judge in Muntinlupa City in December 2019.

Before this, he served as a regional trial court judge in Balanga City, Bataan, and Malolos, Bulacan.

He also worked in the Senate as Director III-Chief of the Legal and Legislative Affairs Service from October 2008 until July 2014.

Judge Gito studied law at San Beda University and San Sebastian College, and he was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1998.

He holds a Master of Laws from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and a Doctor of Civil Law (summa cum laude) from the University of Santo Tomas.

He has also served as a faculty member at various law schools, including De La Salle University and San Beda College.

Judge Gito is best known for his role in the case of former Senator Leila de Lima.

De Lima was accused of receiving drug money, a charge she has consistently denied, claiming it was politically motivated.

In June 2024, Judge Gito dismissed the charge of conspiracy to commit drug trading against De Lima, citing the prosecution’s failure to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This decision came after almost seven years of De Lima’s detention.

In November 2023, Judge Gito granted De Lima bail, and in June 2024, he acquitted her of the last charge, clearing her of all drug-related charges, marking the end of her prolonged detention.