Congress News: HOUSE APPROVES ANTI-INFLUENCE PEDDLING BILL The House of Representatives has approved on second reading the proposed statute penalizing influence peddling in public transactions as contained in HB 4821. Under the bill, influence peddling refers to “the act of representing oneself, either orally or in writing, as being able, whether real or imagined, to influence, facilitate or assist another person having some business, transaction, application, request or contract with the government in which the public official or employee has to intervene, in consideration of any present, gift or material or pecuniary advantage.” Section 4 of the proposed law provides: “Any person who engages in influence peddling as defined by this Act shall be punished by imprisonment of not more than six (6) years or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000), or both, and disqualification to hold public office.” The House Committee on Revision of Laws chaired by Rep. Marlyn L. Primicias-Agabas and its authors strongly defended the bill in plenary, entitled the “Anti-Influence Peddling Act,” in substitution of the original HB 1585 principally authored by Rep. Evelina G. Escudero. (PRIB/dpt)
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:38:17 +0000
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