Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 17) — The House of Representatives approved Monday on third and final reading a bill that imposes stricter penalties for child abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.
With 228-0-0 votes, the chamber passed House Bill 137, which aims to amend Republic Act No. 7610, known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act,” with stricter penalties for violators.
Violators of offenses that used to carry penalty of six to 12 years of imprisonment now face jail time of 14 years, eight months and one day to 17 years and four months. Other offenses will also be punishable by reclusion perpetua or imprisonment for 20 to 40 years.
One of the offenses that will be punishable by reclusion perpetua is the “hiring, employing, using, persuading, inducing, or coercing a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows,” under Section 9.
Section 16 of R.A. 7610 that contains the penal provisions, will also be amended once the bill becomes a law. The minimum fine for offenders will now be ₱100,000, and the maximum will be at ₱1,000,000, depending on the violation and the court’s discretion.
The Senate version of this bill remains pending. The two chambers would need to come up with a bicameral version of the bill and submit it to Malacañang for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.
The House of Representatives also approved a bill on protecting women and children from electronic violence early in February.
READ: House OKs bill protecting women, children from electronic violence
The key provisions of House Bill 5869 include penalizing unauthorized recording, sharing and distribution of any video or photograph showing or depicting the woman or child’s private body parts. Harrassment through text messaging or other cyber, electronic, or multimedia means, and the creation of fake social media accounts using a different individual’s personal information with ill-intent are also punishable under the bill.
