2,600 graft cases pending at Sandiganbayan - Drilon

MANILA, Philippines - There are at least 2,600 graft cases still pending before Sandiganbayan, which is only able to resolve less than 100 cases yearly, Senator Franklin Drilon said on Wednesday.

"Sandiganbayan has been overwhelmed with the humongous files of unheard and unresolved cases. It is imperative that we address the increasing backlog of cases in that court created to effectively and swiftly deal with corruption cases involving government workers," Drilon said in a statement Wednesday.

The lawmaker, attempting to streamline graft proceedings, sought the amendment of the Sandiganbayan Law through Senate Bill No. 470, which proposes to amend Section 3 of the law that requires the presence of at least three justices before a case is heard and evidence is received.

"The existing provision became inapplicable to the present times since the government has expanded and cases filed before them have multiplied over the years, and that provision only contributes to the increasing number of unresolved cases," Drilon, a former Justice secretary, said.

The bill makes it possible for only one justice to hear and receive evidence in behalf of the Sandiganbayan division, which normally has three justices each.

The three members, moreover, would be mandated to jointly decide on the case while one of them is tasked to pen the decision under Drilon's bill.

In cases where a unanimous decision cannot be reached by the three justices, the proposed measure says two other special members will be chosen through a raffle.

"Litigation of graft cases filed at the Sandiganbayan usually takes five to eight years before they are promulgated ... This delay is intolerable if the war against corruption is to be won," the lawmaker said.

Drilon has in the past criticized the anti-graft court for its "slow" pace in the disposition of cases, saying that Sandiganbayan has been needing "structural" reforms.

He explained on Wednesday that the newly filed bill ensures that there is always a "justice-in-charge," tasked to monitor the developments of every case filed and report these to the division.

Sandiganbayan, a special court with jurisdiction over graft and corruption cases, is composed of five divisions.

The Sandiganbayan law, meanwhile, was twice amended by the virtue of Republic Acts No. 8249 and 7975 that took effect in 1997 and 1995 respectively.