Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Bill - Hon. Josephine Lucero
Republic of the Philippines
YOUTH CONGRESS
Baguio City
Introduced by Hon. Josephine C. Lucero
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The forcibly abduction of Jonas Burgos alarmed Filipinos especially the Burgos family and his friends in league of activism. Jonas was abducted April 28, 2007 in broad daylight, 12pm, inside the Ever Gotesco Mall along Commonwealth Ave. in Q.C. Witnesses testified that Jonas was accosted by two unidentified men and was “held by the hands and feet and taken to a waiting van outside the mall.
Young Burgos –the son of the late press freedom fighter Joe Burgos, and was also an active member of AMB or Alliance of Concerned Peasant in Bulacan and in the local chapter of the KMP or Peasant Movement of the Philippines in the province.
The family has been searching for him since but his whereabouts remains undetermined. Jonas is the 26th victim of enforced disappearances in the province of Bulacan which is very vulnerable in many extrajudicial killing.
There are over 199 victims of enforced disappearances from January 2001 to May 2007, records from human rights group Karapatan. The enforce disappearances are taking place alongside extrajudicial killings, now numbering more than 800 since 2001.
The number of victims of enforced disappearances is tremendously increasing. The number of those missing political activists instead to disseminate, continue to grow and add. This problem, exist since 2001 until now in our recent year, 2007.
The Philippine Government is going to respond in this call by our nation.
This bill seeks to provide a reward system for persons who provide information leading to trace missing political activists for the immediate rescue of their lives and safety. If passed into law, this bill can help facilitate much fastest and efficient way of tracing the body of those considered missing political activists. This bill also seeks to provide solutions and clarifications for various allegations and accusations without any definite and accurate evidences, behind these enforced disappearances.
In the pursuit of the principles of the Philippine constitution which states that the prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people and that the maintenance of peace and order, PROTECTION OF LIFE, liberty and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment of the blessings of democracy by all people, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
JOSEPHINE C. LUCERO
Representative
District of Quezon City
Republic of the Philippines
YOUTH CONGRESS
Baguio City
Introduced by Hon. Josephine C. Lucero
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A REWARD FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING MISSING POLITICAL ACTIVISTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
SEC 1. Title – This Act shall be known as the “Rewards for Information Concerning Missing Political Activists”
SEC 2. Declaration of Principles – It is the policy of the state to safeguard public security and safety. It is clearly states in Article II, Section 5 of the Philippine Constitution that the maintenance of peace and order, the PROTECTION OF LIFE, liberty, and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy. And especially, the prime duty of Government is to serve and protect the people. Towards this end, for an effective and fastest way to resolve the increasing number of missing political activists, the Government shall establish an act to reward whomever give information leading to find these missing activists.
SEC 3. Policy and Objectives – in the pursuit of the above stated principles, this act ruminate to dissimilate the number of missing political activists throughout the country, and provide much fastest and effective means and systems to ensure their safety and protect their lives.
SEC 4. Definition of Terms – for the purpose of this act, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
Political Activism- it can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. It is an opposing action to one side of an often contentious argument.
Missing Political Activists- classified as an activists who forcibly abducted or disappeared.
Organization of Political Activists – limited only to the Philippine’s Political Activists considered to be missing.
SEC 5. Rewards for Information – this is hereby established a rewards for information concerning missing political activists under the Department of Justice to be administered by the Secretary of Justice, which is authorized to grant reward to individuals who furnishes information leading to:
a. much fastest and efficient way of tracing their body or location for the immediate rescue and protection of their lives and safety.
b. to resolve and clarify various allegations and accusations behind these enforced disappearances
SEC 6. Determination of Entitlement and Maximum Amount – The Secretary of Justice shall determine whether an individual furnishing information described in Section 5 of this Act is entitled to a reward and the amount to be paid. Under this Act, the reward may be in an amount not to exceed Three Million Pesos (3,000,000.00). However, a reward of Three Hundred Thousand or more may not be made without the written approval of the President.
SEC 7. Withhold Identity; Witness Protection – If it is determined that the identity of the recipient of a reward or of the members of the recipient’s immediate family must be protected, the Secretary of Justice may withhold the identity of the recipient from the public or place the informant under the Witness Protection Program; Provided, that any reward granted under this Act shall be certified for payment by the Secretary of Justice.
SEC 8. Exception of Governmental Officials – no officer or employee of any governmental entity who, while in the performance of his or her official duties, furnishes the information described in Section 5 shall be eligible for any monetary reward under this act.
SEC 9. Penalty Provision – any person who provides false or misleading information to avail of or effect the grant reward under this Act shall be fined not more than Three Hundred Thousand Pesos (300,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six months (6) but not more than one year (1). If the person providing false or misleading information is a governmental official or employee, apart from the aforementioned penalty, he shall be immediately removed from office and perpetually disqualified from any governmental offices.
SEC 10. Appropriations – The funds necessary to carry out the provision of this Act shall be charged to the budget of the Department of Justice as provided in the current General Appropriation Act.
Thereafter, the necessary sum for the implementation of this Act shall be provided in subsequent General Appropriations Acts.
SEC 11. Repealing Clause – Any provisions of law, presidential degree, executive orders, rules and regulations contrary to the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC 12. Effectivity – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever comes earlier.
Approved,Labels: drugs
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