Senate Bill No. 2814 under Committee Report No. 316
Mr. President, honorable members of this august chamber, ladies and gentlemen, as your Chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, I am privileged to sponsor Senate Bill No. 2814 under Committee Report No. 316 providing free legal assistance for the military and uniformed personnel facing charges arising from incidents related to the performance of their official duties.
This measure, which is included in the priority bills of our Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) since the 18th Congress, is authored by our colleagues – Senators Bong Go, Bato dela Rosa, Bong Revilla, Imee Marcos, Mark Villar and this representation.
Ginoong Pangulo, layon po ng ating panukalang batas na higit na palakasin ang kakayahan at kumpiyansa ng ating mga tagapag-tanggol at tagapagpatupad ng batas na gampanan ang kanilang mahalagang tungkulin sa lipunan.
Sa maraming pagkakataon, ang ating mga sundalo, pulis, coast guard, at iba pang uniformed personnel ay sinasampahan ng mga kaso ng kanilang mga kalaban at mga hinuhuling masasamang loob kasunod ng pagganap nila sa kanilang mandatong arestuhin ang gumagawa ng mga ilegal at labag sa batas upang mapanatili ang kapayapaan ng ating bansa. Binabalikan sila ng kung anu-anong imbentong asunto o kaso, kadalasan ng mga malalaking sindikato o high-profile personalities, upang sila ay maligalig, maabala sa kanilang trabaho at guluhin ang kanilang buhay.
These baseless harassment suits cause undue stress and burden to our men and women in uniform. For doing their sworn duties to protect the citizenry against criminality and to maintain peace and order, they are constantly exposed to unfounded accusations and cases.
Statistics from the Philippine National Police (PNP) show that of the total number of resolved cases filed against their personnel as of September 2024, nine (9) out of nine (9) resulted in acquittal. A similar high exoneration rate was recorded during the previous years, which could be a strong indicator that cases filed against our law enforcers are submitted with the sole intention to harass:
· In 2023, 92% of the cases, or 35 out of 38, resulted in acquittal.
· In 2022, 93% of the cases, that is 143 out of 153, resulted in acquittal.
Ginoong Pangulo, nais nating linawin na kinikilala natin ang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na dumulog sa husgado upang ipaglaban ang kanilang karapatan na naaayon sa ating Saligang-Batas. Ngunit, hindi natin maikakaila na nagagamit ang mga legal na prosesong ito sa personal na interes upang gantihan ang mga kawal, pulis, at iba pang nagtataguyod ng kapayapaan at kaayusan sa ating lipunan dahil lamang sa kanilang isinagawang lehitimong operasyon o misyon.
Because of the cases filed against them, more often than not, they are forced to spend their own money to hire private counsel. The exorbitant fees and expenditures prove to be too burdensome for our officers, especially for the junior and lower ranks.
While there are existing mechanisms which aim to assist them in critical moments, like the institution of the 200-million-peso Legal Defense Fund appropriated annually in the national budget, the urgency to submit counter-affidavits compounded by the stringent and litigious process of accessing the fund all the way to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) unfortunately do not work in favor of the uniformed personnel.
The absence of enough lawyers in various offices as well as the lack of clear mandate and legal basis for the provision of such assistance add to the problem.
Hindi po biro ang masampahan ng kaso sa korte. Bukod sa malaking gastos, stress at anxiety, malaking abala po ang dulot nito.
As relayed to us by the stakeholders during our series of public hearings and technical working group (TWG) meetings, if a case is filed against a military or police officer, the immediate effect is preventive suspension and this carries with it the non-payment of salary. “And as per jurisprudence, the payment of back wages only happens after the eventual exoneration or acquittal. Given the clogged cases in our courts, it may take years before a police or military officer be deemed innocent, and will be able to collect his back wages.” If there is an overly extended preventive suspension, they will not be able to fend for themselves and their families.
A representative from the AFP also shared this before the Committee: “Due to the long process of the trial, some of our military personnel would be disheartened and demoralized, and then to the point that it would affect how they carry out their duty. Some would resort to going amok or resort to suicide…Although they are very isolated cases, [these do] happen.”
May epekto din po ang mga isinasampang kaso sa kanilang promotion. We quote from one of our resource persons: “I-report ka lang sa 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Hotline, hindi ka na ipo-promote. Kahit mga harassment cases lang, kahit anonymous, ini-report ka, hindi ka na ipo-promote. Sa sobrang pag-iingat, halos hindi ka na rin talaga maka-perform ng trabaho.”
Mr. President, this measure seeks to further fortify the resolve of our military and uniformed personnel in carrying out their mandate of implementing the laws of our land and pursuing lawless elements and criminals without fear or intimidation, thereby ensuring peace and order and public safety.
This bill entitles MUP facing service-related cases before any court or tribunal, to free and immediate legal assistance, legal advice or consultation, and preparation of pleadings, including legal representation in all stages of civil, criminal or administrative proceedings until its lawful conclusion.
Nais nating bigyang-diin na “service-related cases” lamang po ang sakop ng ating panukalang batas. Ito ay ang mga kasong isinampa sa kanila kaugnay ng pagtupad sa kanilang sinumpaang tungkulin at pagtalima sa kanilang mandato. This bill does not cover cases filed against their personal capacities – halimbawa nito ang offenses involving violence against women and children at pagbibigay ng sustento sa pamilya, pagkakasangkot sa land dispute at iba pa. Nais din nating bigyang-linaw na hindi po layunin ng panukalang ito na kunsintihin ang katiwalian at kabuktutan sa hanay ng mga unipormadong opisyal.
We are also proposing the strengthening of legal offices of the AFP, PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the NAMRIA and the revision of their organizational structure and staffing pattern to ensure adequate and effective legal assistance.
Its counterpart bill in the House of Representatives was already approved on December 12, 2022. I humbly seek the support of our dear colleagues in approving this piece of legislation.
Ginoong Pangulo, mga kasamahan sa Senado, ang pagsuporta natin sa panukalang batas na ito ay pagsuporta sa ating magigiting na military and uniformed personnel. Layon natin na mawala ang kanilang anumang alalahanin at pangamba sa oras ng kanilang pagta-trabaho. Ipakita natin na kakampi nila ang estado sa kanilang bawat matapang na pag-suong sa panganib at pagtugis sa mga banta sa ating seguridad.
Thank you, Mr. President.