Bill to decriminalize vagrancy pushed

Members of the House minority agreed yesterday to fasttrack the passage of a bill decriminalizing vagrancy following the alleged interference of Quezon City Rep. Michael Defensor in the "illegal arrest" of four suspected vagrant women in Quezon City.

"To put an end to the Defensor issue, the minority is pushing for a bill that will decriminalize vagrancy," House minority leader Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said. Initially, Belmonte said the opposition planned to draft a bill that would decriminalize vagrancy but he was informed that there was already a pending bill filed by Leyte Rep. Imelda Marcos.

"In that case, we'll look into that and just try to help improve it," Belmonte said.

Meantime, the House committee on public order and security and the committee on civil and political rights will hold a joint hearing on the case today.

Public order and security committee chairman Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez said he has invited National Capital Regional Police Office director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Aglipay and other concerned police authorities to shed light on the issue.

Defensor and the four women were also invited to attend the hearing. Earlier, the minority bloc filed House Resolution 1413 directing three House committees to investigate the possible human rights violation of four police personnel who arrested the women.

This came after Defensor was charged with alleged obstruction of justice, relating to the case, in the Ombudsman's office.

The House has also unanimously approved House Resolution 1422 which highlights the support of several lawmakers for Defensor.

This developed as Deputy Speaker Erico Aumentado, former chairman of the House committee on ethics, proposed amendments that would give more teeth to the committee which serves as the "guardian of the dignity, honor and reputation of the House of Representatives and its members."

He made the proposal after noting the long-delayed investigation on the alleged interference of Defensor in the arrest of the women by four members of the Central Police District last month.

Aumentado seeks to empower the committee to investigate motu propio or by its own initiative, all matters relating to the duties, conduct, rights, privileges, dignity, integrity and reputation of chamber members.