Jailed Senator Tops No. Of Senate Bills Filed For September '08

The government may be doing the Filipinos a disservice in keeping renegade-soldier Senator Antonio Trillanes in jail. However, Trillanes has proven that his supporters did not waste their votes on him as evident with his performance in the Senate.

Trillanes may be inside the jail and is not allowed to attend Senate sessions but he is keeping himself busy inside his cell. Senator Trillanes topped the list of Senators who have filed bills in the Senate last September 2008 with 16 bills for the said month. He was followed by Senator Manny Villar with 13 bills, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago with 10 bills, Senator Loren Legarda with 6 bills and Senators Francis Escudero and Mar Roxas wit 4 bills each.

Majority of Trillanes' bills can have enormous impact in the society once they become laws. Among these bills are:

SBN-2637: Agritourism Promotion Act of 2008
An Act to Promote Agritourism in the Philippines which can greatly promote Mindanao's agriculture and promote the island's role as a food basket.

SBN-2621: National Livelihood Development Act of 2008
An Act Creating the National Livelihood Development Council Thereby Institutionalizing the Livelihood Movement of the Philippines which can alleviate poverty not only in the countryside but in the whole country as well.

SBN-2620: Anti-Private Army Law of 2008
An Act Defining 'Private Armies and Other Armed Groups', Implementing the Constitutional Provision for Their Dismantling, Prescribing Penalties Therefor which can (hopefully) prevent Mindanao political lords (and even politicians from otter areas) from establishing their own military forces.

One can argue that Trillanes' prolific bill creation and filing may be because he does not have anything to do inside his room except formulate laws. However, looking at the quality of the bills he has proposed one can say that this military man who challenged President Gloria Arroyo's leadership several years ago may have something important to say. It is unfortunate that he could not be allowed to function like regular Senator. On second thoughts--why not imprison the rest of the senators---maybe then they would be able to craft more meaningful laws.

Davao City Mayor Urge Enactment of Drunk Driving Law

DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) may be a common crime in the United States and if you are updated with Hollywood news then you are aware that actor Mel Gibson is facing criminal charges for the offense. It is thus surprising to note that such laws does not exist in the Philippines considering the increasing number of traffic accidents involving drunk drivers.

In view of this, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has urged lawmakers both in the city council and in the House of Congress and Senate to hasten the enactment of a law that will penalize drunk driving.

Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta said a resolution-ordinance that seeks to penalize drunk driving has already passed first reading in the Davao City Council. Acosta said she is pursuing the approval of this measure with the hope that it will discourage drivers from operating their vehicles while intoxicated.

Last year, Senate president Manny Villar has refiled Senate Bill 83 otherwise known as the Alcohol and Drug Testing Act. The bill seeks to criminalize driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The bill seeks to penalize violators by suspending their drivers' license for a year and by paying a P1,000 fine for the first offense. Second and subsequent offenses will mean a five-year driver's license revocation and a fine of P5,000. The Bill is still pending in the Senate committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Duterte said it is imperative that a DUI or DWI law is enacted because under the present law, drivers who cause an accident while intoxicated only face a criminal negligence case no matter how many people they victimize in one accident.