Senate passes bill banning chemical weapons: Following the approval on third and final reading of Senate Bill No. 2871 or the proposed Chemical Weapons Prohibition Act, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada says that the passage of the measure demonstrates the upper chamber’s dedication to global disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. “Thirty-one years after the Philippines signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and 28 years since the Senate concurred in the ratification of the same, finally we are one step closer to fulfilling our commitment of enacting a national legislation to fully implement its provisions and join the international community in the ongoing efforts to eliminate chemical weapons and prohibit its use,” Estrada, principal author and sponsor of SB 2871, said Monday, December 9, 2024. (Avito Dalan)