Daily Serving of Legal Matters

The Revised Penal Code defines who are brigands.  As defined in Article 306 of the said code, as quoted below: "When more than three armed persons form a band or robbers for the purpose of committing robbery in the highway, or kidnapping persons for the purpose of extortion or to obtain ransom, for any other purpose to be attained by means of force and violence, they shall be deemed highway robbers or brigands." A picture of brigands taken from bing images. Based on the above-mentioned definition of brigands, they are at least four criminals who are armed persons for the purpose of committing: 1.  Robbery in the highway; or 2.  Kidnapping persons for the purpose of extortion or to obtain ransom; or 3.  For any other purpose to be attained by means of force and violence. The crime committed by these brigands or highway robbers is known as brigandage. The penalty to be imposed to brigands is prision mayor in its medium period to reclusion tempo

Among the Philippine Senators who were charged with the crime of plunder, it was Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr who was brought to arraignment before the Sandiganbayan where the case is pending. However, Senator Revilla refused to pose any plea when asked of his plea. A photo of Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. taken from bing images. What is the effect of Senator Revilla’s refusal to enter any plea? In criminal cases, arraignment is done basically to inform the accused of the case against him.  He is also informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.  In order to make the arraignment valid, it must be done in a language or dialect spoken and understood by the accused.  If the arraignment is done in a language or dialect foreign or stranger to the accused, the proceeding is infirmed and is prone to challenge in the proper forum. In this manner, the court should have a ready interpreter that would intelligently translate or interpret the in

MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. 807 DECLARING ALICE REYES AS NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines provides for patronage of arts and letters by the State; A picture of Alice Reyes taken from yahoo.com. WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award was established under Proclamation No. 1001 (s. 1972) to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, acting as the Order of National Artists Award Secretariat, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1144 (s. 1973) and Republic Act No. 7356 or the “Law Creating the National Commission for Culture and the Arts”; and WHEREAS, the works and

MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION N0. 808 DECLARING FRANCISCO V. COCHING (POSTHUMOUS) AS NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines provides for patronage of arts and letters by the State; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award was established under Proclamation No. 1001 (s. 1972) to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, acting as the Order of National Artists Award Secretariat, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1144 (s. 1973) and Republic Act No. 7356 or the “Law Creating the National Commission for Culture and the Arts”; and WHEREAS, the works and achieve

MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. 809 DECLARING CIRILO F. BAUTISTA AS NATIONAL ARTIST FOR LITERATURE WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines provides for patronage of arts and letters by the State; A photo of National Artist Cirilo F. Bautista taken from bing images. WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award was established under Proclamation No. 1001 (s. 1972) to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, acting as the Order of National Artists Award Secretariat, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1144 (s. 1973) and Republic Act No. 7356 or the “Law Creating the National Commission for Cultu

MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. 810 DECLARING FRANCISCO F. FELICIANO AS NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines provides for patronage of arts and letters by the State; A photo of National Artist Francisco F. Feliciano taken from bing images. WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award was established under Proclamation No. 1001 (s. 1972) to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, acting as the Order of National Artists Award Secretariat, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1144 (s. 1973) and Republic Act No. 7356 or the “Law Creating the National Commission f

MALACANAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION NO. 811 DECLARING RAMON P. SANTOS AS NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines provides for patronage of arts and letters by the State; This photo of National Artist Ramon P. Santos was taken from bing images. WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award was established under Proclamation No. 1001 (s. 1972) to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, acting as the Order of National Artists Award Secretariat, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1144 (s. 1973) and Republic Act No. 7356 or the "Law Creating the National Commission for Culture and the Arts"; and WHEREAS,

MALACANAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION N0.812 DECLARING JOSE MARIA V. ZARAGOZA (POSTHUMOUS) AS NATIONAL ARTIST FOR ARCHITECTURE A photo of Jose Maria Zaragosa taken from the http://historyofarchitecture.weebly.com/jose-maria-zaragosa.html. WHEREAS, the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines provides for patronage of arts and letters by the State; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award was established under Proclamation No. 1001 (s. 1972) to give appropriate recognition and prestige to Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine arts and letters; WHEREAS, the Order of National Artists Award is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, acting as the Order of National Artists Award Secretariat, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1144 (s. 1973) and Republic Act No. 7356 or the "Law Creati

On Wednesday, June 18, 2014, the Manila Bulletin reported that members of the House of Representatives propose for a creation of a high profile detention center. A photo taken from google.com.   House Bill (HB) No. 1360 or the “High Profile Detention Center Act of 2013” would create a separate detention center for “high criminals” but the proponents of said bill were quick to comment that such proposal won’t accord undue special treatment for the accused. AKO-BICOL Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe and ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Samuel Pagdilao defended the salient features of the said bill at a news forum held at the House of Representative on Tuesday. “High profile cases” as the defined in the said bill, they refer to those that have attracted attention and publicity by reason of the relative position of the parties in society, cases imbued with public interest or cases which involve national security and safety. “It would cover sensational

Finally after the myriad legal maneuvers invoked by both parties, the crime of plunder has been charged to those persons linked to 10-Billion Peso PDAF Scam.  Among the personalities indicted are the three Philippine Senators and the alleged Pork-Barrel Queen Janet Lim-Napoles. A photo of some of the accused (Napoles, Revilla, Enrile and Estrada) in the Plunder Case taken from Bing Images. As a matter of fact, the Filipinos have witnesses the real life drama unfolded on their very eyes.  The warrant of arrest has been ordered for the arrest to one of the accused Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr.   This post is not to prejudice the minds of the Filipinos nor it would insinuate the guilt of all of the accused.  It would simply tell how the crime of plunder is committed and other salient features of the plunder law as embodied in Republic Act No. 7080 or the Anti-Plunder Act.  Definition of the crime of plunder: Any public officer who, by himself