MANILA, Philippines – Detained Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada has cited 12 priority bills that are pending with the committee he chairs for him to be allowed to deliberate on them while in police custody.
In a motion for leave filed with the 5th division of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan, Estrada said his request is meant “to expedite the passage of much-needed laws,” including those on the rights for seafarers and call center agents.
Saying he “has no intention of shirking from” his duties as chairman of the Senate committee on labor, employment, and human resources development, Estrada asked the court on Monday, August 18, to allow him to conduct committee hearings at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame or any other place the court deems appropriate.
Estrada is detained for plunder and graft charges in connection with the illegal diversion of his Priority Development Assistance Fund to ghost projects of fake non-governmental organizations controlled by alleged scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles.
Estrada’s lawyer Sabino Acut Jr already expressed his client’s request in open court last August 12, and the lawyer was given 5 days to file the formal motion in writing.
Estrada cited as precedent the committee hearings conducted at the Marine Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio and at Camp Crame in the years 2007 and 2010 respectively, when Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was detained over coup d’etat charges.
Estrada said there are 168 pending bills before his committee he chairs. Among the priorities are:
- An Act Instituting the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers
- An Act Further Strengthening the National Wages And Productivity Commission
- An Act Further Strengthening Workers’ Right to Self-Organization
- An Act to Govern the Operations and Administration of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
- An Act Providing For the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict and Providing Penalties for Violations Thereof
- An Act Providing for the Protection of Workers in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Industry
- An Act Reducing the Retirement Age of Race Horse Jockeys From 60 to 55
- An Act Amending ‘The Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation And Discrimination Act’
- An Act Reforming the National Apprenticeship Program and Providing Standards for the Training and Employment of Apprentices, and Regulatory Standards for Accreditation of Apprenticeship Programs
- An Act to Further Strengthen the Standard of Protection and Enhancement of The Welfare of the Self-Employed Workers and Craftsmen and the Promotion of Entrepreneurship, amending ‘The Social Security Act of 1997’
- An Act Defining the Role of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Establishment and Operation of the Public Employment Service Office (Peso) and the Operation of Job Placement Office in State Universities and Colleges and Non-governmental Organizations
- An Act Prohibiting the Discrimination on the Employment of Any Individual on the Basis of Age
– Rappler.com
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