41 Measures Passed During Duterte Term Lapse Into Law

Forty-one bills passed during the administration of Rodrigo Duterte have lapsed into law, including measures seeking to establish an Alcatraz-like facility for prisoners convicted of heinous crimes and strengthening the protection of minors against online sexual exploitation.

The measures lapsed into law last month, according to data released by Malacañang on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

The 1987 Constitution gives the President 30 days to sign a bill into law or to veto it. If the Chief Executive does not act on the bill within 30 days, the measure will lapse into law.

Among the bills that have lapsed into law is the measure that aims to establish a separate facility for persons convicted of heinous crimes.

Similar to Alcatraz prison located in San Francisco Bay, off the coast of California, the proposed facility will be located away from the general population, preferably within a military establishment or on an island away from the mainland.

The measure lapsed into law last July 30 as Republic Act (RA) No. 11929.

In an earlier statement, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri proposed that the maximum prison security compound be built either at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija or an island off Luzon.

Another measure that has lapsed into law is RA 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act. The new law requires social media platforms, electronic service providers and internet and financial intermediaries to block materials that promote sexual abuse and exploitation of children and compels them to cooperate with law enforcers.

The measure also forms a national coordinating center against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children that will be under the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking.

‘Veto spree’

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles denied that President Marcos went on a “veto spree.”

Angeles noted that Marcos only vetoed five measures: the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel charter, the bill seeking to expand the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company Inc., the Philippine Transportation Safety Board Act and the measure exempting from income taxation the honoraria, allowances and other financial benefits of persons rendering service during elections.

Also on Wednesday, Zubiri said over 100 bills passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives during the 18th Congress and transmitted to Malacañang have lapsed into law.

“I’d also like to put on record that these measures were the last batch of measures that we sent to Malacañang. The focus on the last few days was about the vetoing of five measures, but maybe we failed to see all the other measures that were not vetoed,” he added.

Read More: Bills On Indigent Senior Citizens’ Pension, Birth Certificates Lapse Into Law

Reversal

State workers want a reversal of Marcos’ decision to veto the bill exempting election workers’ honoraria and other benefits from income tax.

“We strongly urge our Congress to act swiftly and override Marcos’ veto of the tax exemption bill for election workers,” the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK) said in a statement.

PSLINK said Marcos’ decision shows the lack of acknowledgment to the sacrifices of poll workers.

“It is a grave disservice to the Filipino people, who rely on the sacrifices of election workers to keep our democracy alive,” the group said.

During a plenary session yesterday, ACT Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro manifested that they would re-file the tax exemption bill recently vetoed by Marcos.

Castro said as much as P2,000 would be deducted from their honorarium of poll workers if the tax system would be implemented.

Anti-exploitation bills

Meanwhile, the SaferKidsPH consortium of international child welfare organizations lauded the Philippine government’s enactment of RA 11930, or the OSAEC and CSAEM Act.

The consortium – composed of the United Nations Childrens’ Fund, Asia Foundation, Save the Children Philippines and the Australian Embassy – said it sees that the new law would work to strengthen the country’s response to addressing the rising vulnerability and victimization of Filipino children by online predators.

The consortium said the new law positions the Philippines as one of the first countries in East Asia and the Pacific region to have an institutionalized and collaborative approach to prevention and response against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

“This law strengthens the protection measures to match the technological and digital advancements since the passage of the Anti-Child Pornography Act in 2009,” it added. – With Alexis Romero, Paolo Romero, Mayen Jaymalin, Rainier Allan Ronda, Sheila Crisostomo