Senator Santiago declares war on stalkers

Stalking, a celebrity’s nightmare, might soon become a crime in the Philippines.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a bill penalizing stalking, a common problem confronting famous people or celebrities.

In Senate Bill No. 1778, or the “Anti-Stalker Act,” the senator defines stalking has an act of “harassing, bothering, frightening and otherwise interfering with the private lives of people.”

Stalking, she said, is “a form of disguised intimidation, which may be a subtle attempt at harassment.”

Celebrities here and abroad have had to deal with fanatic followers, who border on being stalkers. This reality apparently goes with fame, but SB 1778 seeks to provide boundaries to protect victims, who may not necessarily be popular.

“Existing civil and criminal remedies are insufficient to prevent the commission of the act,” Santiago argued in her bill’s explanatory note.

SB 1778 defines stalking as a form of harassment that is “directed at a particular person, seriously alarms, disturbs, or terrorizes the person.” It “serves no legitimate purpose” and causes “a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress.”

Credible threat

Stalking also involves a “series of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose.” It includes a “credible threat” intended to “cause the person who is the target to reasonably fear (for) his or her safety.”

“The threat must be against the life of, or a threat to cause bodily injury to, a person,” according to the bill.

In particular, stalking is characterized by “repeated unsolicited phone calls without the purpose of legitimate communication,” and “repeated communications (done) anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours or in offensively course language.”

Santiago’s bill also classifies as stalking “repeated visits to the victim’s home or workplace” and “repeatedly maintaining visual or physical proximity to the victim in or about a public place.”

SB 1778 penalizes stalking with a jail term of up to six years or a fine worth between P1,000 and P5,000.

“If the offender subsequently commits the same crime or is a family or household member of the victim, the next higher penalty shall be imposed,” according to the measure.