‘Quad comm’s remedial bills to help solve POGO flaws’

MANILA, Philippines —  The quad committee of the House of Representatives has filed five remedial measures aimed to correct flaws in the country’s laws that have allowed anomalies such as allowing foreigners to acquire spurious birth records, according to Surigao 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

Barbers said these five proposed bills aim to address flaws and gaps in the current legal framework, particularly those concerning Philippine offshore gaming operators, extrajudicial killings, civil forfeiture of real estate and the cancellation of birth certificates illegally or fraudulently acquired by foreign nationals.

Barbers, quad comm presiding chairman, said that he and his co-chairmen in the joint four panels have made their recommendations, pursuant to Congress’ mandate “in aid of legislation,” where lawmakers are to plug loopholes in some laws of the land.

“Out of the series of hearings conducted, lawmakers and the public were informed and enlightened on how criminals and unscrupulous individuals or groups managed to use the flaws, loopholes and weaknesses on some of our existing laws, in the furtherance of their criminal activities,” he said.

“The quad comm is out to review, scrutinize and come up with new bills or amendments to correct those flaws and gaps in our laws,” he said.

He said the quad comm has recommended at least 30 amendments intended to further strengthen several existing laws and ensure that certain abuses and misdeeds in the past are prevented.

The initial five bills earlier filed by quad comm are House Bill 10986, classifying and penalizing extrajudicial killings as a heinous crime, while providing reparations for the victims; HB 10987, prohibiting all forms of offshore gaming operations in the country, with severe penalties for violations; HB 11043, allowing civil forfeiture of unlawfully acquired real estate properties by foreign nationals; HB 11117, providing for the administrative cancellation of birth certificates fraudulently obtained by foreign nationals, and HB 10998, punishing conspiracy and proposal to commit espionage. –  Jose Rodel Clapano