Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

RECEIVED
oye, FEB Nan

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5053

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MICAELA S. VIOLAGO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The proliferation of high profile and heinous crimes has ignited the call for the
mandatory imposition of the death penalty in capital offenses under the Revised
Penal Code and other penal laws.

Similarly, the cases of qualified trafficking are subject to such call, The public
outcry resonates throughout the country.

For it seems the abolition of the supreme penalty has not deterred the
commission of the crime. On the contrary, its non-imposition has emboldened the
criminals to pursue their crimes with impunity. As reported recently in SunStar Cebu
on the 31* of January 2017, a 23-year-old woman was indicted by the Office of the
Cebu City Prosecutor for violating Republic Act No. 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in
Persons Act of 2003. She allegedly acted as a pimp to two women, aged 14 to 21 to
a foreigner, in exchange for money on the 11" of January 2017.

Considering that the Constitution grants Congress the flexibility to impose the
death penalty under certain circumstances and based on the current wisdom of the
times, it is best to once again restore the penalty of death for those convicted of
qualified trafficking under Section 6 of Republic Act No, 9208. This is to put back
into the consciousness of those involved in the qualified trafficking trade that the
ultimate punishment of death awaits them should they continue with their nefarious
acts.

Accordingly, approval of this proposed measure, is strongly recommended.

Co

ICAELA S. VIO!

Sdcond District, Nudvd Ecija



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 0053

Introduced by Representative MICAELA S. VIOLAGO

“AN ACT AMENDING SUBSECTION (C) OF SECTION 10 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.
9208, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ACT OF
2003”

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

SECTION 1. Section 10 (C) of Republic Act No. 9208, otherwise known as
the “Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003' is hereby amended to read, as follows:

“Section 10. Penalties and Sanctions, - The following
penalties and sanctions are hereby established for the
offenses enumerated in this Act:

XXX

(c) Any person found guilty of qualified trafficking under
Section 6 shall suffer the penalty of [life imprisonment] DEATH
and a fine of not less than Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00)
but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00);

XXX”

Section 2. Separability Clause. Should any provisions of this Act be found
unconstitutional by a court of law, such provisions shall be severed from the
remainder of the Act, and such action shall not affect the enforceability of the
remaining provisions of this Act.

Section 3. Repealing Clause. All laws presidential decrees, executive orders
and rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.


Section 4. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its complete publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,