FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBUC ) 
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OF THE PHIUPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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Senate Bill No.311! 
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By Teofisto "TG" Guingona III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The efficacy of our anti-corruption laws, as well as the deterrence intended through its 
enforcement cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, this is often lost in the length of proceedings 
that a case normally takes. Because of this, even high-prOfile cases involving senior public officials 
and huge amounts of money oftentimes become buried and lost in the memory of our citizens. The 
need to extract accountability in a timely and relevant manner thus suffers. 
Findings from a study jointly sponsored by the Supreme Court and the World Bank entitled 
"Philippines: Formulation of Case Decongestion and Delay Reduction Strategy Project-Phase I, reveal 
that on an average, each justice has a workload of 441 cases. Since Sandiganbayan justices work in 
divisions, each division effectively handles more than 1,000 cases per year. Because of this large 
number of cases vis-a-vis the number of Sandiganbayan Divisions (only five), in many instances, 
around only four (4) to five (5) hearings for every case (assuming that there are no postponements) 
are conducted annually, with an alarming average of three to four months interval between each 
scheduled hearing. As a consequence, the average time for disposition of cases (from filing to 
decision) is almost seven (7) years. 
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This bill seeks to increase the number of Associate Justices in the Sandiganbayan and to 
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allow this Court, despite the retention of decision-making by diviSion, to assign a single justice to hear 
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and receive evidence. It is hoped that these measures would allow for the continuous trial of more 
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cases and to expedite the resolution of the same. 
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It is essential for the Sandiganbayan to conduct expeditious trials and speedy disposition of 
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cases to impress upon the public its degree of responsibility, integrity, and accountability at all times. 
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Increasing its capacity and rationalizing its procedures will make this court more capable in 
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performing its principal function of eliminating grant and corruption in the government services. 
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The immediate enactment of this measure is earnestly requested. 
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'TG" GUINGONA III 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 3111 
By Teofisto "TG" Guingona III 
AN ACT STREAMLINING THE JURISDICTION OF THE SANDIGANBAYAN AND INCREASING THE 
NUMBER OF SANDIGANBAYAN ASSOCIATE JUSTICES AND DIVISIONS AND, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREEE NO. 1606, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7975 AND 
REPUBLIC ACT 8294, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Section 1, first paragraph, of the same decree is hereby further amended to read as 
follows: 
"Section 1. Sandiganbayan; Composition; Qualifications; Tenure; Removal and 
Compensation- A special court, of the same level as the Court of appeals and 
possessing all the inherent powers of a court of justice, to be known as the 
Sandiganbayan is hereby created composed of a presiding justice and [fourteen] 
FORTY FOUR (44) associate justices who shall be appointed by the President." 
Section 2. The first paragraph of Section 3 of the same decree is hereby further amended to read as 
follows: 
"Section 3. Divisions of the Court; Quorum- The Sandiganbayan shall sit in 
FIFTEEN (15) divisions of three justices each. The FIFTEEN (15) divisions may 
sit at the same time. 
The first SEVEN (7) divisions Shall be stationed in the Metro Manila area, FOUR 
diviSions shall be STATIONED in ONE OR MORE CITIES IN THE VISAYAS for 
cases coming from the Visayas region, and ANOTHER FOUR DIVISIONS shall 
be STATIONED IN ONE OR MORE CITIES IN MINDANAO fOr cases coming 
from the Mindanao region 
Section 3. Section 5 of the same decree is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
Section 5. Proceedings, how conducted; votes required FOR ALL CASES. THE 
SANDIGANBAYAN SHALL DESIGNATE A JUSTICE TO HEAR THE CASE AND 
RECEIVE THE EVIDENCE. HOWEVER. the unanimous vote of the three justices 
in a diviSion shall be STILL BE necessary for the pronouncement of a judgment. 
In the event that the three justices do not reach a unanimous vote, the Presiding 
Judge shall deSignate two other justices from among the members of the Court to 
sit temporarily with them, forming a division of five justices, and the concurrence 
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of a majority of such division shall be necessary for rendering judgment. 
Section 4.URGENCY. RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL NATURE OF INCREASING THE 
DIVISIONS IN THE SANDIGANBAYAN AS AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE EFFORTS 
AGAINST GRAFT AND CORRUPTION. THE FUNDS FOR THE FIRST FIFTEEN (15) 
POSITIONS OF THE ADDITIONAL THIRTY POSITIONS FOR ASSOCIATE JUSTICES SHALL 
BE 
RELEASED AND THE POSITIONS CREATED WITHIN 
THIRTY DAYS 
FROM 
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT. WHILE THE JUDICIAL AND BAR COUNCIL SHALL. IN THE 
MEANTIME. 
IMMEDIATELY 
COMMENCE 
THE 
PROCESS 
OF 
NOMINATION 
AND 
SELECTION OF THE NAMES TO BE SUBMffiED TO THE PRESIDENT FOR APPOINTMENT. 
AS FOR THE REST OF THE FIFTEEN POSITIONS FOR ASSOCIATE JUSTICES. THE SAME 
SHALL BE CREATED AND THE FUNDS THEREFOR RELEASED WITHIN NINETY DAYS 
FROM EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT. THE PRESIDENT SHALL MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO 
SAID POSITIONS WITHIN THE PERIOD SET BY THE CONSTITUTION. 
Section 5. Separability Clause. If for any reason any proVision of this Act is declared unconstitutional 
or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
Section 6. Repealing Clause. All acts, decrees. general orders and circulars, or parts thereof 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
Section 7. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in at 
least two (2) newspapers of general Circulation. 
Approved, 
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