Drilon: Arrests for Bayanihan Act violations now illegal

- Advertisement -

SENATE minority leader Franklin Drilon yesterday said law enforcers can no longer arrest individuals who violate provisions of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (RA 11469) since the law already expired last June 5 when Congress went on a sine die adjournment without approving the extension of its validity.

In an interview over dzBB, Drilon said purveyors of fake news in relation to COVID-19, violators of curfew hours and of the prohibition on mass gatherings can no longer be arrested as the Bayanihan Act no longer exists.

“Iyan ay hindi na puwedeng gamitin dahil nag-expire na ang batas (That can no longer be used [against the violators] since the law has already expired),” Drilon said.

- Advertisement -

When sought for comment, PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said they are still awaiting guidance from the Inter Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on the matter.

“It may be taken up tomorrow (Monday) during the meeting,” Banac said.

The Senate last week passed the proposed Senate Bill 1564, or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, on second reading. The bill would have extended for another three months the special powers and additional spending authority granted to President Duterte under the Bayanihan Act.

All bills in Congress must be read and approved on third reading before it can hurdle both houses of Congress. Lawmakers are mandated to observe the three-day in-between reading before they can approve any measure on third reading. The rule is lifted once a bill is certified as urgent by the President.

Congress adjourned sine die last June 4 without approving its respective versions of the measure extending the law’s validity. They ran out of time to complete the legislative process because the President did not certify the proposed bill as urgent. Congress will resume sessions in July.

During the period of amendments for SB 1564, Drilon suggested to delete the punitive provisions of the Bayanihan Act to “avoid the notion that the Bayanihan Law is anti-poor because it is the poor and the vulnerable that are victims of the inequity in its implementation.”

Section 6 of the law punishes certain offenses with imprisonment of two months or a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P1 million, or both, aside from the penalties provided in existing laws. These include local government unit officials disobeying national government policies, hospital owners who refuse to operate in accordance with the directive of the President, hoarding, profiteering, price manipulation, product deceptions, cartels, etc.; refusal to prioritize and accept essential contracts for materials and services, and failure to comply with reasonable limitations on the operation of certain transportation sectors.

Drilon said these acts are already punishable under existing laws.

Drilon said the President can still realign funds to grant financial aid to frontline health workers and poor families even without the Bayanihan Act 2. He said the Palace can tap the President’s P13 billion contingent funds and P4.5 billion intelligence funds to continuously provide compensation to frontline health workers and poor families.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Sunday announced the implementation of the modified number coding scheme will be suspended until further notice.

MMDA General Manger Jojo Garcia said: “The enforcement of the modified number coding on June 8, 2020 will be put off until further advice.”

On June 5, Garcia said the Metro Manila Council has approved the implementation of an updated modified number coding scheme starting June 8 to manage the number of vehicles on the street while the metropolis is under general community quarantine.

“The number coding suspension is for public mobility to continue and assist the motorists, particularly those reporting for work,” Garcia said.

The move, he added, is to give way to the additional routes approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) as a bus augmentation strategy to accommodate more commuters in the metro.

The MMDA suspended the implementation of the number coding scheme in March after Metro Manila was placed under enhanced community quarantine. — With Noel Talacay

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: