MAMAMAYANG Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila M. de Lima has filed her first set of priority bills under the 20th Congress, as part of her commitment to uphold human rights, promote social justice and strengthen criminal justice which have been her core advocacies as a lawmaker, human rights and social justice champion, and criminal justice advocate.
In filing her initial batch of proposed measures, De Lima reiterates the urgency of passing laws to protect human rights and human rights defenders, alleviate the plight of poor families and protect the integrity of the justice system by ensuring the truthfulness of testimonies given by witnesses under oath before legislative, judicial, and quasi-judicial proceedings, free from undue pressure, coercion or inducement from any person, and especially from public officials or employees.
“We hope for the urgent passage of these bills to bolster our fight against human rights violations, social injustice and poverty that continue to plague our country. These proposed measures are collectively aimed at making sure that our government will have more attention and greater resolve in upholding human rights, advancing social justice and respecting our legal processes,” she said.
De Lima’s first batch of priority bills include:
- House Bill (HB) No. 1431 or the “Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Protection Act” – a measure to promote and protect the rights of human rights defenders and ensure that they receive enough support from the government to allow them to fulfill their duty without the fear of being harassed and killed. A known human rights defender here and abroad, De Lima stated that the enactment of this bill would build a dynamic community of human rights workers in the Philippines that are free and protected, working with a government that supports their work and ensure accountability for violations of their rights and freedoms.
- HB No. 1432 or the “Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Act” – a measure which seeks to define and criminalize extrajudicial killings and related acts and guarantee state obligations to effectively investigate and properly document EJKs. De Lima, a former Senator and the fiercest critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s murderous “War on Drugs”, was the first to file a Senate Resolution to investigate the rampant summary executions and extrajudicial killings during the previous administration.
- HB No. 1433 or the “Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Act” – a bill that would strengthen the powers and functions of CHR as the country’s premier human rights body to respond in real-time to human rights violations. As a former CHR Chairperson, De Lima stressed that empowering the institution through a Charter will not only reinforce its powers to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms but will also serve the higher purpose of institutionalization of treaty commitments by the Philippine government.
- HB No. 1434 or the “Expanded Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act” – a bill which aims to expand assistance to 4Ps household beneficiaries by improving their skills and knowledge through adult education, such as educational support, livelihood initiatives, employment facilitation, and entrepreneurial development. As a former Senator, De Lima is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11310 or “An Act Institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)”.
- HB No. 1435 or the “Criminalizing the Subornation of Perjury Act” – As a former Justice Secretary, De Lima stressed that subornation of perjury gravely threatens the integrity of the justice system. With this proposed measure, she seeks to explicitly define the crime of subornation of perjury and set appropriate penalties. Under this bill, public officials or employees who commit subornation of perjury shall be meted with a higher penalty and be perpetually disqualified from holding a public office or employment.
“Napapanahon nang isabatas ang mga panukalang ito na matagal na nating isinusulong. Hindi natin dapat hayaang maging kultura ang paglapastangan sa karapatang pantao at panggigipit sa mga tagapagtanggol nito. Hindi tayo dapat magbulag-bulagan sa garapalang kasinungalingan at pambabalahura sa ating mga legal na institusyon sa paggamit at pagkunsinte sa mga pekeng testimonya at walang batayang paratang. Hindi rin tayo dapat maging manhid sa paghihirap ng ating mamamayan at ipagkait ang nararapat na serbisyo para sa kanila,” De Lima said.
“Kung magiging mga batas ang mga ito, mapapalakas natin ang laban para sa mga mapang-abuso sa karapatang pantao, mga humahadlang sa pagkamit ng tunay na hustisya at mabibigyan ng kakayahan ang mahihirap nating kababayan na maiangat ang kalidad ng kanilang pamumuhay hanggang sa mapatid ang siklo ng kahirapan sa ating bayan,” she added.
De Lima is set to file her next batch of priority measures next week to further push for human rights, justice and advance the welfare of marginalized sectors.
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