Miriam seeks ban on pardoned plunderers from holding public office

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago has filed a bill seeking to strengthen the country's Plunder Law by disallowing pardoned plunder convicts from holding public office.

 

In filing Senate Bill 2568, Santiago said she wanted an amendment on the provision on penalty by adding the phrase “and no pardon may extinguish the accessory penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification.”

 

She said the bill sought to prohibit one who had been convicted of plunder by final judgement to hold public office.

 

Plunder is the accumulation of ill-gotten wealth through a combination and series of overt criminal acts in the aggregate amount of P50 million by a public official.

 

“The theft of such an amount from the nation is unforgivably criminal, and no person who is capable of such an act has a place in public office,” Santiago said.

 

Under the present definition, as stated by the Supreme Court in its recent decision junking the disqualification case filed against former President and incumbent Manila mayor Joseph Estrada, a presidential pardon can restore the qualifications of a person to run for an elective post.

 

Estrada was convicted of plunder in 2007 but was pardoned by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo months after. 

 

Santiago’s bill was filed on January 13, days before the Supreme Court made public its decision on January 21, 2015.

 

She said it should be unthinkable for a public servant, who was convicted by final judgement of plunder, to be allowed to hold office once more.

 

The senator said the Constitution provided standard for the accountability of public officers “however, despite the best efforts of honest citizens and public servants to curb the tide of corruption, this government remains astoundingly replete with public officials that are ready and willing to pocket money from the nation’s coffers.” 

 

“Public office is not the venue to test the limits of one’s ability to turn from evil ways. Recent developments have shown however, that it is possible, by some legal maneuverings, for one who has been convicted of the heinous crime to run and be re-elected into office,” she said. —NB, GMA News