KIKO PROPOSES AMENDMENTS TO THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE GAPS IN THE LAW

The law providing for the protection of witnesses must be amended to include those testifying against anomalies in the government such as ZTE key witness Rodolfo Lozada, Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan today said.

"Under Republic Act 6981, or the Witness Protection and Benefit Act, the Justice Department is the primary agency tasked to implement the same. Pero, papaano ang katulad ng sitwasyon ni Mr. Lozada na tumestigo laban sa gobyerno na itinalaga ng batas na magpoprotekta sa kanya? Sec. 4 should be amended to include: The Senate of the Philippines or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, shall provide for a separate "Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program" for the resource persons and/or witnesses in legislative investigations. The program shall be implemented by the Senate or the House of Representatives independent from the Department of Justice when it is apparent that the investigation might be prejudiced and/or when the safety of the witness might be jeopardized especially when the DOJ or higher officials are involved." Kiko said.

Pangilinan already has several legislative proposals to deal with this practical glitch in the existing witness protection scheme.

"There has to be provisions in the law wherein the Judiciary or perhaps even the Senate can protect witnesses under certain circumstances. Or these branches of government may enter into a memorandum of agreement so that the protection of witnesses will not be solely in the hands of the Executive Department," Kiko adds.

Pangilinan also stressed that this broadened witness protection program may even encourage witnesses of anomalous transactions in governments to come out in the open and expose what they know.

"Magkakaroon ng lakas ng loob ang taumbayan na lumabas at magbulgar ng anomalya, lalo na sa kaso kung malalaking tao sa lipunan ang sinasabing kasabwat.. Kung ang magbabantay kasi ang inaakusahan, hindi malayong bantay-salakay ang mangyayari," Kiko ended.