Mabini Hall

It was a marathon hearing alright and a few things came as a surprise. 1. The exchange was at least decent unlike the pre-E.O. 464 era when some questions were downright ‘bastos’. 2. You could tell who studied the case and got the facts and the law right. (Who?) 3. The full force cabinet was […]

After the Erap verdict comes the controversy over ZTE. We Filipinos love acronyms as evidence by our sari-sari stores, nicknames and jingles except when it involves an unknown entity called ZTE and involving millions of dollars in taxpayer’s money. It’s a totally different story or should we say mystery?

“Combination” refers to at least two acts falling under different categories of enumeration. “Series” means two or more overt or criminal acts falling under the same category of enumeration.
In the charge sheet, the combination or series of criminal or overt acts was stated as follows:
(a) receiving or collecting money as a gift, share or kickback […]

Guilty as charged: A Legal Analysis of Criminal Case No. 26558 entitled ‘People of the Philippines v. Joseph Ejercito Estrada’” for plunder
Introduction
As a criminal law practitioner and professor of law, I write this analysis to outline simply and clearly the charge of plunder against former President Joseph Estrada, to explain the essential elements of the […]

Today I have no choice on what to write about – it is Erap’s conviction and nothing else. It is the biggest and most significant court case our republic has ever experienced since our founding and probably for the centuries to come.
On trial was former President Estrada, his son and incumbent senator Jinggoy Estrada and […]

On the eve of the verdict, most of us are still discussing on the political angle of the case. “Surely he has to be convicted!” “He will be pardoned, the question is when?” “My feeling is that he will be acquitted as part of a compromise deal.” “Overkill.” “National day of prayer is coincidental.”
Is anyone […]

The verdict on Erap’s case, the trial of the century, is expected to be promulgated on 12 September 2007. Watch out for our legal analysis based on the plunder law and the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.

Everyone is talking pardon and amnesty. Politicians and media people use them as if they were interchangeable. In law, the two is as different as black and white. What’s the difference?