Efren de la Cruz

Efren de la Cruz (born June 18, 1954) is a retired Filipino jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan from 2003 until his mandatory retirement on June 18, 2024. He is known for his long tenure of more than 20 years at the anti-graft court, his strong stance on judicial ethics, and his dissenting opinion in the acquittal of former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. in a plunder case.

Judicial career De la Cruz was appointed to the Sandiganbayan in 2003 by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He became known as one of the court’s most hardworking magistrates, consistently maintaining one of the highest case disposition rates.

Retirement De la Cruz reached the mandatory retirement age on June 18, 2024. He was honored in a special en banc session of the Supreme Court of the Philippines led by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving Sandiganbayan justice, with nearly 21 years of service.