THE first round of filing Senate bills in the 18th Philippine Congress commenced on Monday, July 1, and among the first ones to be filed were those seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility, combating fake news and terrorism.
Senate Bill No. 5, filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, amends the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006. It seeks to lower the MACR from 15 years old to 12 years old.
Sotto also filed the Anti-False Content bill, which prohibits the publication and proliferation of false content on the Internet, provides measures to counteract its effects, and prescribes appropriate penalties, as well as the Prevention of Terrorism bill, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007.
Other bills that Sotto filed include: the Medical Scholarship Act, which seeks to provide medical scholarships in state universities and colleges to qualified students; the Anti-Drug Penal Institution bill; Presidential Drug Enforcement Authority bill; Hybrid Election bill; the 14-month pay bill; and Dangerous Drugs Court bill, which seeks to increase penalties for perjury.
Senators can file up to 10 proposed bills and resolutions until Thursday, July 4.
The order of filing of bills and resolutions is according to seniority or service length.
The second round of filing of bills will be from July 8 to 11.
“First come, first serve” basis on the filing of bills and resolutions will be implemented starting July 15.
