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MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday, July 6, that it did not have any objection to bills filed in Congress seeking to increase to 20 years the period within which corruption cases can be filed.
The Office of the President, through Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Mildred Yovela Umali Hermogenes, sought the opinion of the justice department about House Bill Number 4146 and Senate Bill Number 2422.
The bills seek to amend Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which allows the filing of cases for violation of the law within 15 years from the time the date the alleged act of corruption is committed.
In a one-page legal opinion, DOJ Undersecretary Zabedin Azis said the bills are consistent with constitutional provisions for the state to “take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.”
“This Department finds no legal objection to the passing of the consolidated enrolled bill since after a careful review and evaluation of the text of the same shows that there is nothing in the said bill that is inconsistent with the Constitution or other pertinent laws,” the document read. “In sum, we fully support the passage of the aforestated enrolled bill into law.”
Isabela Representative Giorgidi Aggabao has said that expanding the prescriptive period for filing cases of violation of the anti-graft law would prevent suspects from escaping liability by mere technicality of the 15-year period.
A quick scan of cases recommended for prosecution by the Ombudsman shows that a number of them were committed at least 10 years before resolutions were reached. – Rappler.com
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