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House OKs heavier penalties for poll offenses


The House of Representatives approved a bill imposing heavier penalties for people who commit election-related offenses. The lower chamber on Monday night passed on third and final reading House Bill (HB) 4145 authored by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado and ABANTE MINDANAO party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. The proposed legislation seeks to amend provisions of Batasang Pambansa 881 or the Omnibus Election Code and Republic Act 8189 or the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996. Now that the House has passed the bill, the Senate can either approve its own version of the measure or adopt HB 4145. After this, a 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 ratification. It will then be submitted to Malacañang for the signature of the President. Penalties The measure increases the jail term for persons who will commit election-related offenses to not less than six years and one day but not more than twelve years. Under the current Omnibus Election Code, poll-related offenses are only punished by imprisonment from one year to six years. The bill also increased the fine for political parties or coalitions where an election offender belongs from the current P10,000 to P500,000. HB 4145 also specifically identified members of the Board of Election Inspectors, members of the Board of Canvassers and even officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as persons who may be held liable for election-related offenses. Aumentado said the bill should be enacted into law to ensure that future polls in the country will be clean, honest and free from fraud. “Serious elections offenses must be properly penalized and offenders clapped in jail to show our determination to eradicate fraudulent polls," he said in a text message. He added that the passage of the measure will strengthen the country’s institutions because clean elections “are vital to a vibrant and democratic governance." - VVP, GMA News

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