MEASURES that would classify extrajudicial killings (EJKs) as a heinous crime and permanently ban Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) were filed at the House of Representatives on Friday.
House Bill 10986, or the Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Act, was filed by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez with quad committee chairmen Robert Ace Barbers, Bienvenido Abante Jr., Danilo Ramon Fernandez and Joseph Stephen Paduano.
Other authors of the bill include Reps. Romeo Acop, Johnny Pimentel, Gerville Luistro, Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, Paolo Ortega, Jefferson Khonghun and Jonathan Keith Flores.
The bill’s explanatory note said EJKs, or the killing of individuals without judicial proceedings or legal authority, pose grave threat to rule of law, democracy and human rights.
“These acts bypass established judicial procedures, undermining public trust in the justice system and violating the basic rights to life and due process guaranteed by the Constitution,” it read.
Under the bill, EJK will refer to unlawful killings carried out by state agents, or those who are acting with the acquiescence or tolerance of state authorities.
Any state agent found guilty of EJK, either committing the killing or ordering the killing, will receive life imprisonment, as well as any superior military, police or law enforcement officer or senior government official who issued an order to any lower-ranking personnel to commit an extrajudicial killing for whatever purpose shall be equally liable as principals.
The measure mandates the creation of a claims board to compensate the families of EJK victims.
Meanwhile, House Bill 10987, or the Anti-Offshore Gaming Operations Act, mandates the complete ban on POGOs.
“While banning the conduct of POGO and POGO-related activities and services comes with potential economic losses, allowing them to proliferate comes with the long-term and much higher cost to public safety and institutional integrity,” the bill said.
Under the bill, violators could face prison sentences ranging from four to 10 years and fines reaching P10 million for repeat offenses, while foreign employees of POGOs will face immediate deportation.
Government officials involved in facilitating illegal POGO operations would be dismissed from service and have their benefits forfeited.
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