Higher penalties for poll-related offenses sought

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. is pushing for the increase of penalties for election-related offenses.

Aliping, a member of the House justice committee, is supporting House Bill 4111, which seeks to identify other persons criminally liable for election offenses and increase the penalties for election-related offenses.

Authored by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, HB 4111 already passed third and final reading in the House.

Aliping said HB 4111 wants “to help ensure the conduct of clean, orderly and credible elections by imposing greater penalties for election offenses, more so when attended by violence, coercion, intimidation, force or threats.”

Under the bill, penalty for offenders will be imprisonment of not less than six years and one day but not more than 12 years, and disqualification from the privilege of probation.

“It will also penalize a political party, political coalition, party-list or aggrupation organized for political purpose to which the guilty party is a member with a fine of P500,000 as part of civil liability in connection with the election offense,” Aliping said.

“It penalizes any government official and law enforcer, including barangay officials, found guilty of any election offense under this act with maximum penalty,” the administration lawmaker added.