Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRI TATIVES
Quezon City

Gaur
BAN
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S RECEIVED
ott JUL 2013

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS.

First Regular Session

House Bill No. 924

Introduced by Hon. Rodolfo G. Biazon

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

Over recent years, reports of an increased number of killings of political and community
activists along with perceived enemies of the government, predominately those associated with leftist
or left-oriented groups, have caused increasing alarm and concem in the Philippines and in the
international community. The methodology of the attacks has led many to conclude that the attacks
constitute a politically-motivated pattern of killings.

The attacks mostly carried out by unidentified men who shoot the victims before escaping on
‘motorcycles, or by abduction and subsequent execution of a certain individual, have very rarely led to
the arrest, prosecution and punishment of those responsible. It is widely thought that the killings
constitute a pattern and that a continuing failure to deliver justice to the victims represents a failure by
the Government of the Philippines to fulfill its obligation to protect the right to life of every individual
in its jurisdiction.

The Government of the Philippines should implement Amnesty Intemational’s 14-Point
Program for the Prevention of Extrajudicial Executions. As an integral part of this Program, the
authorities should urgently reiterate a clear, unequivocal message to all members of the police,
military and other security forces that involvement in, or acquiescence to, such unlawful killings will
never be tolerated. Alll such cases must be fully and promptly investigated and all those responsible,
whether linked fo the armed forces or not, should be brought to justice. Only in this manner can public
confidence in the impartial and effective administration of justice be restored and a peace process,
with respect for human rights by all sides at its heart, is revived.

‘This bill seeks to provide a reward system for persons who provide information leading to the
arrest or prosecution of those involved in political killings. If passed into law, this bill can help
facilitate the enforcement of proper laws in the country. The rewards system proposed by this bill can
strongly urge witnesses or persons with knowledge of the crime to come forward and cooperate with
the appropriate authorities in solving political killings in the country.

In the pursuit of the principles of the Philippine Constitution which states that the prime duty
of the government is to serve and protect the people and that the maintenance of peace and order, the
protection of life, liberty, and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for the
‘enjoyment of the blessings of democracy by all people, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

RODOLFO €. BIAZON
Representative
Lone District, Muntinlupa City



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 524

Introduced by Hon. Rodolfo G. Biazon

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A REWARDS PROGRAM FOR INFORMATION ON POLITICAL
KILLINGS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1.
Political Killings Act

e. This Act shall be known as the “Rewards for Information On

Sec. 2. Declaration of Principles. ~ Article II Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution
states that the prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people. Section 5 of
the same Article of the Constitution states that the maintenance of peace and order, the
protection of life, liberty and property, and promotion of the general welfare are essential for
the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy.

See. 3. Policy and Objectives. ~ In the pursuit of the above stated principles, it is
hereby declared the policy of the State to protect the people from political killings and
provide the means and systems to prevent and prosecute the commission of such acts.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall be
defined as follows:

a. Political Killings — refer to extra-legal, summary and ar
Generally speaking, political killings have three main characteristics: (I) They
have taken place at the order, complicity or with the acquiescence of the
authorities; (2) They violate national laws such as those prohibiting murder, as
well as international human rights and humanitarian standards forbidding arbitrary
deprivation of life; and (3) They have not occurred by accident, in self-defense, or
through ignorance.

b. Summary or Arbitrary Execution ~ is a variety of execution in which a person is
accused of a crime and then immediately killed without benefit of a full and fair
trial.


Sec. 5. Rewards for Information. - There is hereby established a Rewards for
Information On Political Killings under the Department of Justice to be administered by the
Secretary of Justice, which is authorized to grant rewards to individuals who furnishes
information leading to:

a) the arrest or conviction of any person or persons for the commission of an act of
political killing as defined in this Act, within the territorial jurisdiction of the
Philippines;

b) the arrest or conviction of any person or persons for conspiring or attempting to
commit a political Killing as defined in this Act, within the territorial jurisdiction
of the Philippines;

¢) the prevention, frustration, or favorable resolution of an act of political killing as
defined in this Act, within the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines; and

) the prevention of entry into the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines of any
person or persons known or suspected to commit political killings or members of
any group notorious or known for political killings.

. 6, Determination of Entitlement and Maximum Amount, — The Secretary of
all determine whether an individual furnishing information described in Section 5 of
this Act is entitled to a reward and the amount to be paid. Under this Act, the reward may be
in an amount not to exceed Ten Million Pesos (P10, 000,000.00). However, a reward of Five
Hundred Thousand (PS00, 000.00) or more may not be made without the written approval of
the President.

Sec. 7. Withhold Identity: Witness Protection. ~ If itis determined that the identity of
the recipient of a reward or of the members of the recipient's immediate family must be
protected, the Secretary of Justice may withhold the identity of the recipient from the public
or place the informant under the Witness Protection Program; Provided, that any reward
granted under this Act shall be certified for payment by the Secretary of Justice.

Sec. 8. Exception of government officials. ~ No officer or employee of any
government entity, who, while in the performance of his or her official duties, furnishes the
information described in Section 5 shall be eligible for any monetary reward under this Act.

Sec. 9. Penalty Provision. — any person who provides false or misleading information
to avail of or affect the grant of any reward under this Act shall be fined not more than Five
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six months but not
more than one year. If the person providing false or misleading information is a government
official or employee, apart from the aforementioned penalty, he shall be immediately
removed from office and perpetually disqualified from holding any government position.

Sec. 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of Justice shall
promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this
Act.

Sec. 11. Appropriations. ~The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be charged to the budget of the Department of Justice as provided in the current General
Appropriations Act.


Thereafter, the necessary sum for the implementation of this Act shall be provided in
subsequent General Appropriations Acts.

See. 12. Repealing Clause. — Any provision/s of law, presidential decree, executive
orders, proclamations, rules and regulations contrary to the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 13. Effectivity. ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afier its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation,

whichever comes earlier.

Approved,