Senate to focus on bills on Bangsamoro, Sandigan

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–In the first semester of 2015, the Senate will focus on approving the Bangsamoro basic bill as well as the measure that would increase the number of divisions in the Sandiganbayan in order to help speed up the trial of corruption cases, according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Drilon said the bill concerning the Sandiganbayan was a reform measure against corruption. It seeks to add two more divisions in the antigraft court, because at present, resolving one case takes about five to seven years, he noted.

“It’s really slow, which is why they say the trial of cases at the Sandiganbayan lose their effect,” he said over dzBB.

The addition of new divisions could also help speed up the trial of pork barrel cases in the sense that it would reduce the work load of the present divisions handling these cases.

The bill also seeks to streamline the jurisdiction of the antigraft court so that it would only be tasked to handle cases involving higher-level government officials and higher amounts of public funds.

The Senate would also give priority to the bill to create the Bangsamoro autonomous region early in the year, so that there would be enough time to submit it to a plebiscite, said Drilon.

He said the committee report on the measure is expected in the first week of February, as promised by Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who led the committee hearings and consultations on the measure.

The bill will give flesh to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in a bid to end insurgency in Mindanao. This is a key part of the government’s peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

There have been calls to pass the bill early so that it would not be sidelined by the forthcoming election season.

Meanwhile, Drilon also said the Senate had had a fruitful 2014 despite being shrouded in controversy, such as the arrest of three of its members for their alleged involvement in the misuse of their pork barrel funds.

He also said this showed that the Senate’s investigation of various issues in aid of legislation, which some have criticized for allegedly achieving nothing, had proved fruitful.

“Three of our members are facing charges in the Sandiganbayan. Isn’t that the best proof that something comes of these investigations?” he said.

The Senate blue ribbon committee had conducted an inquiry on the alleged misuse of the priority development assistance fund, which was diverted to private pockets through a network of bogus nongovernment organizations.