Charter change, 5 other bills top House agenda

Administration allies led by presumptive Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez have identified the “first six” bills covering charter change,  juvenile law to drunk driving that President Duterte wants approved in the first year of the 17th Congress.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, who is expected to be elected majority leader once Congress convenes on July 25, said these were the legislative measures that Duterte spelled out as his top priorities during their meeting in Davao City last June 7.

On top of Duterte’s wish list is House Resolution seeking the creation of a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Constitution, specifically to shift to a parliamentary form of government.

The second priority is House Bill No. 1 proposing the reimposition of death penalty which  the President hopes to use as main deterrent against heinous crimes.

The third priority is HB 2 which seeks to lower or restore to nine years of age and below the exemption from criminal liability of criminal offenders. This will amend the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 which raised the age of discretion to 16 years of age or where those aged 15 years old and below were exempted from imprisonment or punishment even if they commit heinous crime.

The fourth  priority bill is HB 3 which seeks to grant emergency powers to the President to address the traffic problem in Metro Manila.

The fifth priority bill is HB 4 which proposes to establish circuit criminal courts that AKO Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe said would fast track  criminal cases “to hasten trial heinous crimes, specifically drug pushing, to address the huge backlog.”

The sixth priority is HB 5 which amends the driving under influence law to provide for the instant 36-hour detention of offenders on top of other penalties provided for in the present law.