Senate revisions of Human Security Act seen this week

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is targeting the approval of several proposed measures, including the Human Security Act (HAS), before Congress goes on Christmas break this week, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said yesterday.

In the Congress calendar, the Senate and the House of Representatives are set to go on Christmas break on Dec. 20 and will resume on Jan. 20.

Senators Panfilo Lacson and Ronald Dela Rosa have sponsored Senate Bill 1083, which would amend the Human Security Act of 2007 to clarify the definition of terrorist acts.

The proposed legislation also seeks to penalize those who participate in the plotting of terrorist acts and prolong the detention of suspected terrorists without an arrest to 14 days.

“We will try to pass the Human Security Act amendment, and then the Sin Tax measure could also have amendments by Monday,” Sotto said in Filipino.

Sotto said there is a need to pass the HSA amendment as President Duterte has indicated that the Martial Law in Mindanao will not be extended after it lapses on Dec. 31, 2019.

“The need for the measure has escalated since the President will not extend martial law, because we vowed to pass the HSA. We have a commitment like that so people would stop criticizing martial law. The HAS amendment is stronger, unlike before that it favors terrorists because of relaxed provisions,” he said.

On the sin tax measure, Sotto said Sen. Pia Cayetano, chairwoman of the ways and means committee, needs to finalize the proposed additional tax measure within the year.

“Pia really needs to finish it to make way for other measures next year,” he said.

Sotto added that they could also subject to third reading the measure creating a separate penitentiary for drug lords.