Press Release
August 2, 2016

Koko's new law increases prescriptive period for filing graft cases

The long arm of the law just got longer. A measure increasing the prescriptive period for filing of graft cases, authored by Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel," has recently lapsed into law.

The new law extends the prescriptive period in filing cases against from 15 years to 20 years for violators of Republic Act No. 3019, or the "Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act," as amended.

Koko said the new prescriptive period would ensure that those who violate the existing Graft Law can still be held accountable for up to 20 years after the discovery of their act. The new law is in compliance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) to which the Philippines is a signatory of.

The Senate and the House came up with the final version of the proposal prior to the congressional sine die adjournment last June 6, 2016.

The Senate approved on third and final reading its version of the measure, Senate Bill 2422, last May 25, 2015 while the House of Representatives approved its own measure, House Bill 4146 in April 2014. On May 23, 2016, the House adopted Senate 2422 as an amendment to HB 4146.

The adopted bill seeks to amend Section 11 of RA 3019, so that "all offenses punishable under the Act shall prescribe in 20 years."

When RA 3019 was enacted on August 17, 1960, the original prescriptive period was 10 years. When the law was amended on March 16, 1982 by virtue of Batas Pambansa Bilang 195, which amended Sections 8, 9, 10, 11 & 13 of RA 3019, the prescriptive period was changed to 15 years.

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