Leila on corrupt airport workers: Charges better than slapping

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Leila de Lima chided President Duterte yesterday for threatening to slap airport personnel if they are caught soliciting or extorting money from Filipinos arriving in the country for the holidays.

De Lima said it would be better if appropriate charges are filed against customs, immigration, aviation police and other airport personnel if they are caught soliciting money or favors in the guise of giving them holiday greetings.

“We have laws. If they (airport personnel) commit any wrongdoing, or those who’re corrupt, we should charge them,” the senator said. 

When asked about Duterte’s threat to slap corrupt airport personnel, she said: “It’s up to him if he wants to slap them. He orders killings, so what’s a slap?”

De Lima was referring to allegations that Duterte was behind the spate of drug-related extrajudicial killings in the country.

She said arriving Filipinos who are victimized at the airport or who experience undue solicitation for money or gifts can undertake citizen’s arrest.

 Pushing for penal code’s repeal

De Lima is also pushing for the repeal of the “antiquated” Revised Penal Code (RPC) and to replace it with a criminal code that is more attuned to current realities.

The RPC was enacted 84 years ago and “despite its antiquity,” De Lima lamented that this is still being enforced in the country.

De Lima has filed Senate Bill 1227 which seeks to ordain and institute a new Criminal Code of the Philippines that would modernize, update, and codify the country’s basic penal law, including the present RPC’s provisions that were amended or repealed.

Among the salient provisions of the bill is the change to universal the jurisdiction of crimes instead of the current jurisdiction based on territory, given the evolving nature of crimes, especially transnational organized crime.

The measure also eliminates the frustrated stage of commission of crime and accomplices in the degree of participation.

It also seeks to classify crimes into those against the state, persons and property instead of 13 categories under the RPC.

The bill also seeks to exclude gender discrimination crimes such as adultery and concubinage.