INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSE ON

CORRUPTION, IMPUNITY AND GOVERNANCE

Atty. Maria Patricia Cervantes-Poco

Mechanics for the Briefcase Midterm Project

Your midterm grade has two components: 30% for the reflection paper
already submitted on Corruption, Governance and Impunity as it relates to
Martial Law; and 70% for the Briefcase Project.

Through this project, groups will attempt to put together a figurative

briefcase of facts, laws (including policies and other forms of
interventions), conclusions, and recommendations on a topic relating to
corruption, impunity and governance selected by the group.

Grouping Requirements

The class will be divided into two groups of four members each, and
four groups of three members each. Groupings may be selected freely.

The class will be required to submit, through the beadle, the list of
groupings by 5 May 2016, Thursday, during class hours.

Topic Selection

The groups may select their own topics, subject only to the limitation
that no two groups may work on the same topic.

The topic may be a current issue (something being discussed in the

headlines, or pending in courts), a decided case (but the analysis should go
beyond the court decision), or an issue considered to be deeply entrenched
in Philippine society.

The list of topics must be submitted together with the groupings on 5

May 2016, Thursday, during class hours.

Expected Output

There are two expected outputs for this activity: a) the briefcase
composed of a written report and a resource compilation (due on 10 June
2016, Friday, at 12 NN (submit at the Ateneo Legal Services Center),
and b) an oral presentation in class (on 19 and 26 May 2016). Four groups
will present on May 19, and two groups will present on May 26. The final hour
on May 26 will be reserved for the presentation by our LL.M. student. There
will be drawing of lots to determine the order of presentation in class.

The briefcase will contain a written report (10 to 15 pages,

spacing: 1.5, Times New Roman or Book Antiqua font size 12, margins 1
around) and a compilation of articles and other reference materials (cut
outs, print outs, etc) relating to the topic. The written reports format
requirement must be complied with strictly, but the group may choose to
submit or present the compilation in any creative way they choose.
 The written report and compilation shall endeavour to address the
following questions:

What is the corruption issue? (Define, and if it is a scheme or

event, give a timeline of its progression eg. how was it discovered?)
How does it relate to impunity and governance?
How is/was the issue perceived by the public?
What public interest does/did it relate to, or affect? (Non-legal
discussion is welcomed, as not all interests involve the courts. Would
also be good to utilize the sociological perspectives introduced in
class.)
In defining the scheme, who are/were the actors?
What are/were the facilitating factors, conditions, environment?
(Do not confine self to legal framework include in your discussion
attitudes, perceptions, values, etc.)
What are/were the interventions employed to combat the
corrupt practice/s? (Discuss both the legal steps and meta-legal
campaigns.)
Are/were these interventions sufficient to address the 1) corrupt
act/s and 2) impacts on the public interest affected by the corruption?
What are/were some of the important findings and
pronouncements made concerning this issue that influence/d policy
direction and perceptions on corruption, impunity and governance?

The oral report in class will be a brief summary of the findings of the
group limited to 15 to 20 minutes.