MANILA, Philippines – At least 10 enrolled bills that former president Benigno Aquino III failed to sign have lapsed into law.
Malacañang had placed advertisements in newspapers to give due notice to the public that the measures had lapsed into law.
These include an Act granting Philippine Citizenship to Hans Peter Smith; Republic Act 10910 that increases the prescriptive period from 15 to 20 years for violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; the new anti-carnapping law; the law strengthening and expanding the coverage of special programs for the employment of students; an Act exempting surviving children of military personnel who are mentally incapacitated from termination of benefits upon reaching the age of 21; an Act requiring all franchise holders or operators of television stations and producers of television programs to broadcast or present their programs with close captions and other purposes;
An Act prohibiting business establishments from giving insufficient or no change to consumers’ an Act regulating Philippine credit card industry and an Act mandating and strengthening the continuing professional development program for all regulated professions and creating a continuing professional development council.
Under Article VI, Section 27 of the Constitution, every bill passed by Congress shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the president. If he approves the same, he shall sign it, otherwise, he shall veto it and return the same with his objections to the House where it originated, which shall enter the objections at large in its Journal and proceed to reconsider it.
“The President shall communicate his veto of any bill to the House where it originated within 30 days after the date of receipt thereof; otherwise, it shall become a law as if he had signed it,” the provision added.