BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 195 - AN ACT
AMENDING SECTIONS EIGHT, NINE, TEN, ELEVEN, AND THIRTEEN OF REPUBLIC
ACT NUMBERED THIRTY HUNDRED AND NINETEEN, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
ANTI-GRAFT AND CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT |
Section 1.Sec. 8 of Republic Act No. 3019 is hereby amended to read as
follows: "Sec. 8.Prima facie evidence of and dismissal due to unexplained wealth. – If
in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act Numbered One thousand
three hundred seventy-nine, a public official has been found to have
acquired during his incumbency, whether in his name or in the name of
other persons, an amount of property and/or money manifestly out of
proportion to his salary and to his other lawful income, that fact
shall be a ground for dismissal or removal. Properties in the name of
the spouse and dependents of such public official may be taken into
consideration, when their acquisition through legitimate means cannot
be satisfactorily shown. Bank deposits in the name of or manifestly
excessive expenditures incurred by the public official, his spouse or
any of their dependents including but not limited to activities in any
club or association or any ostentatious display of wealth including
frequent travel abroad of a non-official character by any public
official when such activities entail expenses evidently our of
proportion to legitimate income, shall likewise be taken into
consideration in the enforcement of this section, notwithstanding any
provision of law to the contrary. The circumstances hereinabove
mentioned shall constitute valid ground for the administrative
suspension of the public official concerned for an indefinite period
until the investigation of the unexplained wealth is
completed." Sec. 2. Sec. 9 of Republic Act No. 3019 is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 9.Penalties for violations. – (a) any public officer or private person
committing any of the unlawful acts or omissions enumerated in Sections
3, 4, 5 and 6 of this Act shall be punished with imprisonment for not
less than six years and one month nor more than fifteen years,
perpetual disqualification from public office, and confiscation or
forfeiture in favor of the Government of any prohibited interest and
unexplained wealth manifestly out of proportion to his salary and other
lawful income. "Any complaining party at whose complaint the criminal prosecution was initiated shall, in case of conviction of the accused, be entitled to recover in the criminal action with priority over the forfeiture in favor of the Government, the amount of money or the thing he may have given to the accused, or the fair value of such thing. '(b) Any public officer violating
any of the provisions of Sec. 7 of this Act shall be punished by a
fine of not less than one thousand pesos nor more than five thousand
pesos, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year six months, or by both
such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the Court. "The violation of said section proven in a proper administrative proceeding shall be sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a public officer, even if no criminal prosecution is instituted against him." Sec. 3. Sec. 10 of Republic Act No. 3019 is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 10.Competent Court. – Until otherwise provided by law, all prosecutions
under this Act shall be within the original jurisdiction of the
Sandiganbayan." Sec. 4. Sec. 11 of Republic Act No. 3019 is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 11.Prescription of offenses. – All offenses punishable under this Act
shall prescribe in fifteen years." Sec. 5. Sec. 13 of Republic Act No. 3019 is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 13.Suspension and loss of benefits. – Any incumbent public officer against
whom any criminal prosecution under a valid information under this Act
or under Title 7, Book II of the Revised Penal Code or for any offense
involving fraud upon government or public funds or property whether as
a simple or as complex offense and in whether stage of execution and
mode of participation, is pending in court, shall be suspended from
office. Should he be convicted by final judgment, he shall lose all
retirement or gratuity benefits under any law, but if he is acquitted,
he shall be entitled to reinstatement and to the salaries and benefits
which he failed to receive during suspension, unless in the meantime
administrative proceedings have been filed against him. "In the event that such convicted officer, who may have already been separated from the service, has already received such benefits he shall be liable to restitute the same to the Government." Sec. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved: March 16, 1982. (P.B. No. 453) |