Senate fails to ratify extradition treaties with 3 countries

MANILA, Philippines - Short of a two-thirds vote, the Senate failed last night to ratify the extradition treaties with Spain, India and the United Kingdom.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations, expressed disappointment over the dismal attendance of the senators during the last day of the 15th regular session of Congress.

Sixteen votes are needed to ratify a treaty but only 15 senators arrived. The rest of the senators are either abroad or on sick leave, as in the case of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

The Senate started its session at past 4 p.m., with representatives from the embassies for the three countries in attendance.

By 6 p.m., not all the 15 senators who answered the roll call were still around to muster a quorum to pass other pending measures.

The extradition treaties seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the investigation, prosecution and suppression of crimes, particularly transnational crimes. The increasing frequency of transnational crimes, such as terrorism, money laundering, corruption, human trafficking, as well as other violations of human rights, necessitates this treaty as a vital operational tool in the pursuit of justice and public safety.

The extradition treaty with India provides grounds for refusal of extradition, which may happen in cases if the offence is not considered such under general criminal law.