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Senate bill seeks stiffer penalties for abortion


Amid the controversy surrounding the Reproductive Health bill, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has filed a bill that would impose stiffer penalties on those who commit abortion. On Monday, Enrile filed Senate Bill 2497 or the proposed "Protection of the Unborn Child Act of 2010" in a bid to increase the penalties for abortion by amending articles 256, 257, 258, and 259 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC). "I’m just implementing the Constitution which says that both mothers and unborn child must be protected," Enrile told reporters in an interview. Under the bill, those who shall intentionally cause abortion shall be punished with reclusion temporal or imprisonment of 12 to 20 years to reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment while those who unintentionally cause abortion shall be punished with prision mayor or imprisonment of six years to twelve 12 years. Prision mayor shall likewise be imposed upon any woman who shall practice abortion on herself or shall consent that any other person should do so. On the other hand, prision correccional or imprisonment of at least six months and a fine not exceeding P100,000 shall be imposed on any pharmacist who dispenses of abortives without the proper prescription from a physician. Under the current RPC, those who intentionally cause abortion are punished with only reclusion temporal at most while those who unintentionally cause abortion are punished with only prision correccional. Also under the code, prision correccional shall be the punishment for any woman who shall practice abortion on herself or shall consent that any other person should do so while any pharmacist who illegally dispenses of abortives shall be awarded a fine of only P1,000. — Kim Tan/RSJ, GMANews.TV

Tags: abortion, sb2497
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