House panel endorses bills to make carjacking non-bailable

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on revision of laws yesterday endorsed three bills that would make carjacking a non-bailable offense.

The measures seek to increase the penalty for the crime to life imprisonment.

Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, committee chairman, said his panel would consolidate the three bills and submit its report for plenary approval.

She said she hoped the recommended maximum penalty and the non-availability of the right to bail would lessen the incidence of vehicle theft.

Reps. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City and his brother Maximo, who represents the party-list group Abante Mindanao, Quezon City Rep. Jorge Banal and Rep. Catalina Cabrera-Bagasinan of Association of Laborers and Employees are the authors of the three bills.

Rufus, a former law dean, told reporters that detained carjacking suspects could easily gain freedom by posting bail.

Once they are out of prison, they resume their illegal activities, he said.

He said the penalties under the present law range from less than six years imprisonment for simple carjacking to life imprisonment, if the crime results in the death of the victim.

“Under our proposal, the penalty for the crime of carjacking, regardless of its gravity, would be life imprisonment. That means that the penalty for simple car theft would be increased from six years to life. The right to bail will not be available,” he said.

He said vehicles stolen in Metro Manila are being sold in Visayas and Mindanao.

Banal said the right to bail had been available to carjacking suspects since the law against vehicle theft was enacted in 1972.

“We have seen how the situation has emboldened criminal offenders. They can easily post bail using the proceeds from their illegal activity and once out of jail, they simply continue with their modus operandi,” he said.

He said recent carjacking incidents have been violent, “further proof that criminal elements do not feel threatened by the state of our current law.”