Back

People vs. Sandiganbayan [DISSENTING OPINION, LEONEN, J.]

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, PETITIONER, V. HON. SANDIGANBAYAN (SECOND DIVISION) AND FELICIDAD B. ZURBANO, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. Nos. 233280-92 | 2019-09-18

DISSENTING OPINION
 
LEONEN, J.:
 
Public office is a public trust.[1] When determining whether this public trust has been violated, the courts must recall the constitutional mandate that public officers must be, at all times, "accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency[.]"[2] Republic Act No. 3019[3] should be applied to the facts of this case with this guiding principle in mind.
 
Republic Act No. 3019, Section 3(h) declares it unlawful for public officers to intervene in certain transactions:
 
(h) Directly or indirectly having financial...