FEB.

9, 2012 DATE

NR # 2674C
REF. NO.

House passes terrorism financing prevention and suppression act

To ensure the safety and security of the country and its people from the horrors of terrorism, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. today announced the 3rd reading approval of HB 5015 or the proposed Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012. This is another solid achievement of our peoples representatives, Belmonte said as he lauded the diligence of the members of the House of Representatives, particularly the bills authors and the sponsoring Committee on Justice. Since mid-January, a dozen other vital measures were also approved on final reading and transmitted to the Senate for its appropriate action. These measures cover health and childrens safety, protection of the national sovereignty, labor, and other socioeconomic bills, including the Archipelagic Sea Lanes bill. A highlight of HB 5015 is Section 4 that states: Any person who, directly or indirectly, willfully and without lawful excuse, possesses, provides, collects or uses property or funds or makes available property, funds or financial service or other related services, by an means, with the unlawful and willful intention that they should be used or with the knowledge that they are to be used, in full or in part: (a) To carry out or facilitate the commission of any terrorist act; (b) By a terrorist organization, association or groups; or (c) By an individual terrorist, shall be guilty of the crime of financing of terrorism and shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its maximum period to reclusion perpetua and a fine of not less than five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) nor more than one million pesos (P1,000,000.00). HB 5015 includes terrorism financing as a predicate offense to money laundering as defined in the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 (AMLA), as amended, and provides for the inclusion of terrorism financing as among the extraditable offenses in all future treaties. Principal authors of the anti-terrorism financing measure are: Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, Karlo Alexei Nograles, Rodolfo Farias, Orlando Fua, Jeffrey Ferrer, George Arnaiz and Justice panel Chairman Niel Tupas, Jr. Among the objectives of the measure, the authors pointed out, are to prevent terrorism by denying terrorists and their supporters access to legitimate international financial systems and by targeting and bringing to justice its financiers, and to comply and honor the countrys international commitments under the various international instruments against terrorism financing to which the Philippines is a party.

FEB. 9, 2012 DATE

NR # 2674C
REF. NO.

Among the other vital national measures passed and transmitted to the Senate since sessions opened in mid-January 2012 were: HB 592 An Act to provide for a National Folic Acid Education Program to Prevent Birth Defects; HB 4153 An Act Establishing the Archipelagic Sea Lanes in the Philippine Archipelagic Waters, prescribing the Right and Obligations of Foreign ships and Aircraft exercising the right of Archipelagic Sea Lanes Passage through the established Archipelagic Sea Lanes and providing for the Associated Protective Measures therein; HB 4198 An Act extending the coverage of the reduced retirement age for underground mine workers to include mill plant workers and support services, such as mechanical, electrical, and tailings pong personnel, further amending section 287 of Republic Act 442, otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines, as amended; HB 5484 An Act providing for a comprehensive regulation of firearms, light weapons and ammunition, penalizing violations thereof and repealing for the purpose PD 866; HB 5627 An Act protecting the rights of internally displaced persons, providing penalties for violations thereof and for other purposes; HB 5626 An Act providing measures to ensure the safety of children aboard motorcycles, and for other purposes; HB 5594 An Act providing for the retention and utilization of the income derived by the National Museum, amending for the purpose Section 26 of RA 8492, otherwise know as the National Museum Act; The other bills cover the grant and renewal of franchises of broadcast and telecommunications companies to construct, install, operate and maintain telecommunications system and radio/television stations. Other significant measures approved on second reading were such as: HB 5681 An Act amending Republic Act 776, otherwise known as the Civil Aeronautics Act of the Philippines; and HB 5682 An Act amending PD 1869, as amended by RA 9487, otherwise known as the Charter of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and for other purposes. (30) dpt