The Security, Justice and Peace (SJP) Cluster of the Legislative Liaison System or LLS convened on February 28, 2014 at Hyatt Regency Hotel to strengthen coordination towards the fast-tracking of priority legislative measures for the 16th Congress. In particular, the meeting was pursued to: (a) raise awareness on agency-member legislative agenda; (b) determine the probability of passage of individual legislative measure; (c) identify measures that may be prioritized and and those that may require further consultations; and (d) build mechanisms and sustain collaboration among concerned agencies in the executive and Constitutional bodies.
The discussion involved the presentation of the status of proposed bills classified as cluster priority and additional legislative measures requested for inclusion in the top priority list. The following were discussed as priority legislative measures: (1) Philippine Maritime Zone and Designation of Archipelagic Sea Lanes; (2) Amendments to the Human Security Act and Strategic Trade Management Act; (3) proposed DOJ bills on National Bureau of Investigation, Protecting the rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Whistleblower Act, Witness Protection Act, Criminal Investigation, and Criminal Code; (4) National Defense Act and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform; (5) CHR Charter; (6) Bangsamoro Basic Law; and (7) Anti-Political Dynasty Act and other related Election Bills.
The following were proposed as additional measures requested for inclusion in the top priority list of the SJP cluster: Immigration Law; Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; Transfer of Sentenced Persons Act; Extradition Law; National Preventive Mechanism; Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Act; Increasing the Age of Sexual Consent from 12 to 16; Anti-Corporal Punishment; Divorce obtained abroad be duly recognized in the Philippines; and Creating the Police Training and Development.
OP-PLLO Undersecretary Bernardino Sayo informed the cluster about the common top priorities of both houses of Congress, namely: (1) Philippine Maritime Zone; (2) Designation of Archipelagic Sea Lanes; and (3) Bangsamoro Basic Law. Other priority legislative measures of both Houses of Congress were also mentioned, namely: Whistleblower Act; Witness Protection Act; Children in Armed Conflict Protection Act; and Protecting the rights of Internally Displaced Persons. Some of the proposed bills were classified as measures of special concerns.
The said meeting was organized by the LLS-SJP Cluster Secretariat spearheaded by the DOJ with Assistant Secretary Zabedin Azis as presiding chair. The following representatives from concerned government agencies participated in the meeting: DFA, NCWC, ATC, COMELEC, PNP, DILG, BFP, BJMP, DBM, OP-PLLO, DOJ, OP-PMS, OPAPP, CHR, AFP, DND, DOF, NSC, PCOO, OP-Legal, and LEDAC Secretariat.