————
‘St OF REPRESENTATIVES:
RECEIVED
DATE: 3.9 JUN 204
TIME: 7/0.
BY:

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

REGISTRATION UNIT
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

First Regular Session

House Bit No, 421

Introduced by HONORABLE ROMERO "MIRO" S, QUIMBO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In the early parts of 2016 alone, different institutions and public places in the
country were interrupted due to bomb threats, The Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP), in light of the series of bomb threats in malls within Metro Manila, appealed
to the public to disregard bomb threat text messages as they were found to be a
hoax.! The operations of several educational institutions were also interrupted
because of bomb threats. Last March 26, students, faculty members and staff of
the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) vacated the vicinity of the said university
due to the alleged implanted bomb in the campus. Meanwhile in Subic, Zambales,
classes in two schools were suspended due to a bomb threat sent to the mayor on
January 4.2

Bomb threats have also disturbed even governmental institutions. Last April 1,
Bacolod City Capitol was alerted with a bomb threat. Employees of the Capitol were
immediately evacuated causing interruption in the activities of the said institution.

Moreover, last April 17, the north bound lane of EDSA-Main Avenue in Cubao,
Quezon City was temporarily closed to traffic due to a bomb threat.? The said
incident caused heavy traffic along EDSA, and motorists were instructed to take
alternate route. Passengers of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) were also affected since
MRT operations were halted as a precaution. The said incident occurred during
rush hour (around 8:00 in the evening) when thousands of motorists and
commuters are crowding along EDSA.

These, and other previous bomb scares that threatened various places around the
country, demonstrate the need to address the growing concern on bomb threats.
Every false bomb threat which alarms an area leads to unnecessary anxiety for the
people, disruption of its regular activities, economic costs from the opportunity lost
for productivity due to evacuation activities, waste of law enforcement and

> “ABP allays fears of bomb threat in Metro Manila malls.” ABS-CBN News website, April 15, 2016 <huin/inws,
accessed June |

016,

accessed June 17, 2016

io.

“Classes in 2 Subie schools suspended due to bomb threat" Inquirer net websit

uip/inewsinfo.inquirer.ne!752439%elasses-n-2-subie-schools-suspended-duc
nb threat forves temporary cls

yw rapper com/ nation!



emergency response resources as well as time spent which should have been used
for more pressing public concerns, among others.

‘These pemicious effects are further magnified when the false threat is aimed
against high population density or sensitive places like schools, airports, churches
and malls, where there is regularity in the flow of activities. In schools for instance,
precious instructional time is wasted only to the whim of pranksters who
deliberately plant false bomb messages just to disturb the area. More importantly,
it puts minors at risk to stampedes and permanent psychological trauma.

In the United States, state laws have been enacted in order to address this
problem. In Michigan, making false reports on bombs and knowingly
communicating the same to another person is punishable by imprisonment of up to
four years and/or fine.4 Meanwhile, Massachusetts penalizes anyone who
communicates a threat causing the evacuation of high density and sensitive
institutions or causes serious public inconvenience or alarm with three to twenty
years imprisonment and/or fine.’ Countries like Japan and Britain have also
‘expressed their concern through the enactment of laws relating to the same acts.

In the Philippines, Presidential Decree No. 1727 on “Declaring as Unlawful the
Malicious Dissemination of False Information of the Willful Making of any Threat
Concerning Bombs, Explosives or any Similar Device or Means of Destruction and
Imposing Penalties Therefor” was enacted in October 8, 1980. Said law states that
any person who communicates, willfully makes any threat or maliciously conveys
false information of an attempt to damage or destroy any property by means of
explosives, incendiary devices and other destructive forces of similar nature, shall
be punished with imprisonment of not more than five years or a fine of not more
than forty thousand pesos (Php 40,000) or both at the discretion of the court.

However, with the increase in incidences of false bomb threats, there is a need to
enact a law that will supplement P.D. 1727, which will impose stiffer penalties
when the act is done in high population density and sensitive areas, in the
objective of curbing incidences of false reports which result to the detriment of the
victims from losses in productivity and resources.

In view whereof, the expedient approval of this bill is requested.

cmb Tnct Ponies — 8B, 645 ($2) Fist Analysis” Michigan Legisature website, uly 15,2012. <

nants accessed February 25, 2014
“General Laws.” The 188° General Cone of tie Commonwealth of Massachusetts, date. =

huns./nakesl algae acl V/TiteCng |. aecessed Felury 25, 2004.

»prgsidential Decree No, 1727.” Chan Robles webs
upvc, chanrohles cm resides

ng INO, aceessed February 25, 2014>,



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HoUsE BiLt No, 421

Introduced by HONORABLE ROMERO “MIRO” S. QUIMBO

AN ACT PROHIBITING THE DISSEMINATION OF FALSE INFORMATION ON
THE PRESENCE OF BOMBS, EXPLOSIVES AND OTHER INCENDIARY DEVICES
IN HIGH DENSITY OR SENSITIVE PLACES AND PROVIDING PENALTIES
THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “False Bomb Threat
Prohibition Act of 2016”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
undertake all measures to protect all persons, especially its citizens, from being
subject to the injurious effects of false information and threats on bombs and
explosives, in the objective of upholding their security and safety, especially in high
density and sensitive places where the risks are higher.

As used in this Act, “high density” shall refer to areas which are regularly
populated with people, including but not limited to public spaces like national
roads, public parks, airports, seaports, hotels and malls, or where people are
gathered for an event.

“Sensitive areas” shall refer to those which are subject to high risks upon.
violation of this Act because of the magnitude of resulting possible losses in
productivity, resources, and religious value notwithstanding the number of people
present therein, inchiding but not limited to educational institutions, offices,
government institutions, and churches.


SECTION 3. Prohibition. No person shall wilfully communicate or cause to be
communicated, either directly or indirectly, orally, in writing, by mail, by use of a
telephone or telecommunication device including, but not limited to, cellular
phones, electronic mail, internet communications and facsimile communications,
through an electronic communication device or by any other means, a threat or
information involving a bomb, explosive or other incendiary device, when such
threat is in fact not present, thereby causing either the evacuation or serious
disruption of a school, school related event, school transportation, or a dwelling,
building, place of assembly, facility or public transport, or an aircraft, ship or
common carrier, or wilfully communicates or causes serious public inconvenience
or alarm.

SECTION 4. Penalties. Any person found guilty of violating this Act or any rules
and regulations issued pursuant hereto shall, upon conviction, be punished by
imprisonment of not less than six (6) years but not more than twelve (12) years or
fine of not less than One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Five
Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00) or both.

SECTION 5. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, other parts or provisions thereof which are not affected
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 6 Repealing Clause, ~ All laws, decrees, executive orders and issuances,
and rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,