Duterte suspends child car seat law

Malacañang on Thursday said President Duterte has ordered the suspension of the implementation of the child car seat law following widespread public criticism and the appeal of several lawmakers.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the President’s decision not to implement it “will be the basis to amend the law.”

Roque said at an online press conference that the President’s decisions on the child cat seat law was based on his desire to “balance” the needs of the people amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“This was the decision of the President wherein he balanced what our fellow countrymen are experiencing amid the crisis being faced not just by the Philippines, but by the whole world,” he said.

He said the President also wanted to make good on his campaign promise to make Filipinos’ lives more comfortable.

“The President promised a more comfortable life for everyone. So he’s just fulfilling his promise during the election,” he added.

Bill from Congress needed

But the President’s deferment order on the child car seat law would require a bill from Congress, according to Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez.

“It’s Congress that passed the law requiring child car seats, and it’s Congress that can suspend its implementation,” Rodriguez, an ally of Mr. Duterte, said in a statement on Thursday.

He explained that a joint House-Senate resolution would not suffice because the Supreme Court had ruled in a case involving government nurses’ basic pay that a resolution could not prevail over a law.

During the hearing of the House committee on transportation on Wednesday, Rodriguez insisted that a bill had to be passed suspending the law.

“I believe the best thing, really, will be for us to exercise our power of the legislation and have a bill that defers this,” he said.

During the same briefing, another ally of the President, Senior Deputy Speaker Doy Leachon, said “the most speedy way of suspending its implementation is through judicial action. Anyone can file an application for a TRO (temporary restraining order) issuance.”

Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, committee chair, agreed with Rodriguez that the House should pass a bill rather than a resolution “to remedy the issue on Republic Act No. 11229.”