Manila, Philippines – Sa pamamagitan ng botong 272 ay inaprubahan ng Malaking Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang panukalang magbibigay ng linaw sa electronic o online violence laban sa kabataan at kababaihan.
“This proposed law is our answer to rising cases of internet-enabled violence and abuse against women and children, who we should protect. I hope that the bill, when enacted, would stop these acts of wrongdoing,” sinabi ni House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
Aniya sa pagbabago ng information and communications technology (ICT) ay dumami rin ang krimen na hindi na nasasakop ng batas.
“We have to update and strengthen our laws to shield our people,
especially our women and children, from criminally-minded
individuals.”
Bukod sa paglilinaw kung ano ang kahulugan ng krimen na gamit ang electronic o online sa karahasan laban sa kababaihan sa House Bill (HB) No. 8009 ay nakasaad din dito ang katamparang parusa sa bawat paglabag.
Ang HB 8009 ay isang pag-amienda sa Republic Act (RA) No.
9262, o mas kilala bilang “Anti-Violence Against Women and their
Children Act of 2004.”
Ang HB No. 8009 ay pinagsamang apar na panukalang batas nina Reps. Marjorie Ann Teodoro, Arlene Brosas, France Castro, Raoul Danniel Manuel, at Gus Tambunting.
Ito naman ay inindorso sa plenaryo ni committee on women and gender equality chair Rep. Geraldine Roman.
Ang nasabing panukala ay tatawaging “Expanded Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act.”
Batay sa panukala, ang electronic o ICT-related violence ay “any act or omission involving the use or exploitation of data or any form of ICT which causes or is likely to cause mental, emotional, or psychological distress or suffering to the woman and/or her children.”
Kabilang dito ang pagre- “recording, reproduction, distribution, use, sharing at uploading ng anumang litrato, video, o anumang uri ng electronic presentation na nagpapakita ng maseselang parte ng katawan ng bata man o babae sa publiko gaya ng “children’s genitalia, pubic area, buttocks, breasts, excretory body part or function, nudity, scenes with sexual content or portrayal of sexual conduct such as sexual intercourse, masturbation, kissing, caressing, hugging, and petting.”
Sakop din ng electronic violence laban sa kababaihan at kabataan ang:
1. Harassing, intimidating, coercing, threatening, or vilifying the
woman and/or her children through text messaging or other cyber, electronic, or multi-media technology.
2. Stalking, including the hacking of personal accounts on social
networking sites and the use of location data from electronic devices.
3. Fabrication of fake information or news through text messaging or other cyber, electronic, or multi-media technology.
4. Creation of fake social media accounts using an alias or a
different individual’s personal information resulting in harm to the
woman and/or her children’s reputation.
Sakaling mabigo ang alinmang internet service na makipagtulungan sa batas at sa mga otoridad ay posibleng maharap sa” obstruction of justice.”
Sakaling ang biktima ay migrant workers o anak ng migrant workers ay pananagutan ng mga embassy personnel na magbigay ng tulong pinansiyal, legal, medical, ay social services sa bansang kinaroeoonan at sa panahon ng repatriation. Meliza Maluntag
