House panel OKs bill vs. cybercrime

The House Committee on information communications technology approved on Monday a bill against different forms of cybercrime in the country. The bill seeks to impose penalties and prevent crimes committed using the Internet, ranging from child pornography to defamation. Taguig City Rep. Sigfrido Tinga, committee chairperson, said the bill was approved for plenary debates to safeguard Internet users, especially with the growing use of social media in the country. “It all boils down to freedom of speech in the social media but people have to be more responsible," he said during a hearing on Monday. The bill is a consolidated version of nine measures filed by eight lawmakers including former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The other authors of the bill include Tarlac Rep. Susan Yap, Ilocos Sur Rep. Eric Singson Jr., Marikina Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Pampanga Rep. Carmelo Lazatin, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and BUHAY party-list Rep. Michael Velarde Jr. A similar measure, Senate Bill 2796, is awaiting second reading at the Senate. Legislative process The panel will now prepare a report on its approval of the consolidated measure that will be submitted to the House committees on rules and appropriations for comment. The measure will then be presented in the plenary, where lawmakers will discuss and vote on the measure on the floor. After the chamber approves the measure, it will submit the bill to the Senate for consideration. The Senate can either pass its own version of the bill or adopt the bill passed by the House. After this, the bicameral conference committee will be convened to reconcile the respective versions of the House and Senate. Once the bicameral committee approves the bill, it will be returned to the House and Senate for approval on third reading. It will then be submitted to Malacañang for the signature of the President. - VVP, GMA News