De Lima's next batch of bills to boost transparency in gov't, EJK accountability

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima will submit 10 more measures next week, including several bills on strengthening transparency in government and accountability in the rampant extrajudicial killings under the Duterte regime.

In her second batch of priority measures, De Lima will resubmit the Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Bill and the bills amending the Bank Secrecy Law to cover government officials and establishing a Joint Congressional Intelligence Committee (JCIC) to scrutinize the use of intelligence fund.

"Napapanahon ang Anti-EJK Bill dahil makatutulong ito para maresolba ang libu-libong patayan sa panahon ni Mr. Duterte at maparusahan ang mga nasa likod nito," said De Lima, the staunchest critic of the Duterte administration.

"Dapat ding mabuksan ang mga bank account ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan para matiyak na malinis at wala silang itinatagong yaman na mula sa katiwalian," added De Lima.

De Lima also wants to scrutinize the billions of pesos of government intelligence funds to ensure its being used to conduct legitimate intelligence activities, especially in connection with the government's war on illegal drugs.

The lady Senator from Bicol is also expected to refile other priority legislations in connection with the protection of women in state custody, welfare of refugees and strengthening of the Party List system.

Also included in De Lima's legislative push in the 18th Congress is to strengthen the Philippine National Police (PNP) Human Rights Affairs Office and regulate the operations of Social Welfare and Development Agencies (SWDA), while giving them assistance to enable them to reach more disadvantaged Filipinos.

De Lima will also refile two other measures aiming to declare July 12 as "West Philippine Sea Victory Day" to mark the country's arbitration victory over China over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute and to increase the punishment on persons committing perjury under oath.

Last week, De Lima filed the first batch of her priority measures in the 18th Congress, including the Human Rights Defenders, Prison Reform Bill Criminal Investigation Bill, Unified Corrections and Jail Management Bill, CHR Charter, Magna Carta for Day Care Workers, Qualified Reclusion Perpetua Bill, and National Commission for Disability Affairs Bill.

Even in detention for trumped-up charges based on perjured and coerced witnesses, De Lima's two priority measures -- the Magna Carta of the Poor and the institutionalization of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) - were enacted into laws in the 17th Congress.

Overall, De Lima has principally authored 96 bills, 57 co-authored measures, 134 principally authored resolutions and 27 co-authored resolutions in the past Congress. Of this, 116 bills and 138 resolutions were filed while in detention.