THE Sandiganbayan?s First Division will suspend hearings on the coco levy funds with the appointment of its chairman and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Diosdado Peralta to the Supreme Court.

Peralta?s replacement, Associate Justice Norberto Geraldez, had voluntarily inhibited himself from the hearings of the eight subdivided cases involving billions of coco levy funds because of an apparent conflict.

Geraldez said his wife is a senior partner of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz Law Office which represents the Philippine Coconut Producers Federation Inc. in the eight cases with the division.

Sandiganbayan Executive Clerk of Court Renato Bocar said the rules provide that if a division chairman inhibits from the hearing of a particular case, the case would be raffled off to the other divisions.

But if a division member inhibits himself from the hearing, the case stays with the division and another justice will be assigned to succeed the member who recuses himself. Macon Ramos Araneta