New Sandiganbayan building to rise by 2028

The Sandiganbayan or anti-graft court is getting a new building, expected to be ready for use by 2028.

At the groundbreaking of the Sandiganbayan Building II led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Monday, Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Karl Miranda said the new building will house all seven divisions of the court, together with expanded offices and personnel complement.

The Sandiganbayan II Building, which will be constructed on a 2,588-square meter vacant lot behind the Sandiganbayan Centennial Building, will have 13 floors and two levels of basement parking with a total gross floor area not exceeding 24,960 square meters.

Miranda, who is also chairperson of the Sandiganbayan Committee on Buildings and Grounds, said the new building will also fit almost 600 employees and officers of the court "to properly address the needs of its clientele ranging from court hearings and the provision of clearances for tens of thousands of government employees."

In addition, the Sandiganbayan Building II will be a green building equipped with the latest Information communication and technology tools aimed at speeding up the court’s work.

"More than providing for the public’s physical needs of access to justice, the Sandiganbayan Building is likewise meant to symbolize the indispensable role of the Judiciary in the country," said Miranda.

The building’s Detailed Architectural and Engineering Design (DAED) will be accomplished by the University of the Philippines Building Research Services under an agency-to-agency mode of procurement in accordance with a January 23, 2024 Supreme Court Resolution.

Once the DAED is completed and approved, the civil works for the construction of the Sandiganbayan Building II will undergo competitive bidding pursuant to the Government Procurement Reform Act. — BM, GMA Integrated News