Senate ratifies amendments to Sandiganbayan law

The Senate ratified Wednesday the bicameral conference committee report on the amendments to the Sandiganbayan Law which includes the creation of two new divisions and lowering the voting requirement for the promulgation of decisions or orders.

 

Senate President Franklin Drilon, author and co-sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2138, earlier said the amendments will address the structural and institutional limitations encountered by the Sandiganbayan, "which is supposed to be the frontrunner in the fight against corruption."

 

He added the changes are geared towards the speedy disposition of corruption cases against erring government officials and employees.

 

The consolidated version of Senate Bill No. 2138 and House Bill No. 5283 allows sessions be held upon the attendance of two members of a division constituting the majority of the members instead of all three as presently required. 

 

It also allows the addition of two new Sandiganbayan divisions to the present five, bringing the number to seven divisions.   

 

The measure also lowered the number of votes required for the promulgation of judgment, decision or final order, and the resolution of interlocutory and incidental motions from the present three to two. 

 

Drilon said the Sandiganbayan Law or Presidential Decree No. 1606 last underwent legislative scrutiny almost 20 years ago. 

 

"The result is that a case in the Sandiganbayan now takes about an average of five to eight years to litigate and resolve.”

 

"Despite the numerous advancements that have been incorporated in our judicial system through the years, justice continues to be as elusive as it has been during the infancy of our republic. As our judicial structure becomes more ingenious, so does graft and other malfeasance," he said.

 

He added: ”If we are to outrun graft and corruption, it is imperative that we resuscitate and recondition our existing prosecutorial and adjudicatory institutions against this opponent.”

 

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chair of the committee on justice and human rights and sponsor of the bill, said the amendments to the Sandiganbayan Law will strengthen the country's anti-graft court's structure.

"The capacity of this court to decide cases efficiently and promptly has been stretched beyond its limits," Pimentel said.

 

Drilon said that once the bill is enacted into law, the jurisdiction of "minor" cases will be transferred to the Regional Trial Courts, which will enable the Sandiganbayan to "concentrate its resources on resolving the most significant cases filed against public officials."

 

He noted that during the last quarter of 2013, about 60 percent of the total cases in the Sandiganbayan are considered "minor" or allegations of damages or bribes not exceeding P1,000,000.

 

The bill states that that the amendments to the Sandiganbayan's jurisdiction and voting requirement for promulgation of judgement shall only apply to cases arising from offenses committed after the effectivity of such measure. — RSJ, GMA News