CHR

You can give CHR 5% of your taxes with Sen. Bam’s People’s Fund Bill

Amid the public outcry over the P1,000 budget given by the House of Representatives to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Sen. Bam Aquino has renewed his push for the approval of his measure that gives taxpayers a chance to decide to which agency they want their taxes to go.

“We want Filipinos to get involved in governance and the budget process. The People’s Fund Bill gives them the chance to do that,” said Sen. Bam, referring to Senate Bill No. 699 that he filed last July 20, 2016.

 “Galing sa pinaghirapan ng taumbayan ang ginagamit na pondo ng pamahalaan kaya nararapat lang natin silang konsultahin kung paano ito gagamitin,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam made the pronouncement after netizens started the “#GiveMyTaxToCHR” campaign after the House gave the CHR a 1,000-peso budget for 2018. Netizens have demanded that their tax be given to the CHR instead to the PNP’s Oplan Tokhang, which was handed a P900-million budget for 2018.

 If approved, the People’s Fund Bill creates mechanisms for an individual taxpayer to allocate five percent (5%) of his or her income tax for any of the following: (1) an accredited charity or civil society organization; (2) a priority national or local government project; or (3) a legitimate political party.

Under this bill, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) shall establish the mechanism that would enable individual taxpayers to select beneficiaries upon filing of their annual income tax returns.

Meanwhile, an inter-agency committee led by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall determine the eligibility of respective organizations, and shall likewise set the conditions, guidelines, and reporting requirements for the receipt and use of the funds by the benefitting organizations.

 “Kapag ito’y naisabatas, may kapangyarihan na ang taxpayer na piliin kung saan pupunta ang porsyento ng perang ito. Ginagawa na ito sa ibang mga bansa at panahon nang gawin ito sa Pilipinas,” Sen. Bam said.

Bam calls for probe on secret jail cell, urges PNP to clean up ranks

Sen. Bam Aquino has filed a resolution seeking to investigate the operation of a secret jail cell discovered in a police station in Manila as he called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to clean up its ranks to bring legitimacy to the drug war.

“As the government’s enforcement arm in its war against illegal drugs, the PNP should safeguard the public’s trust by ensuring that abusive policemen are investigated and punished accordingly,” Sen. Bam said in Senate Resolution No. 348.

Sen. Bam stressed an upstanding police force must go hand-in-hand with the administration’s war against drugs to earn public trust.

 “Kailangan pangalagaan ng kapulisan ang tiwala ng publiko, lalo na dahil prayoridad and giyera kontra ilegal na droga. Hindi katanggap tanggap ang kahit anong pang-aabuso, gaya ng tagong selda na nadiskubre sa loob mismo ng istasyon ng pulis,” said Sen. Bam.

The secret jail cell was discovered by a team from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) inside the Raxabago Police Station in Tondo, Manila. The CHR found 12 persons inside the jail cell where they were detained for at least 10 days even without the filing of proper charges.

 The CHR also discovered that the arrests of the 12 detainees were not recorded. Also, families of the detainees claimed that elements of the Drug Enforcement Unit were asking for money, ranging from P40,000 to P100,000, in exchange for their release.

Sen. Bam said the probe is aimed at ensuring that the rights of those under custodial investigation or detention by the Philippine National Police (PNP) are protected.

 Earlier, Sen. Bam called on the government not to treat with kid gloves erring policemen who were behind the secret jail cell, insisting that they should be held accountable for their actions.

“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang ganitong pagmamalabis. Kailangan itong maimbestigahan at matigil,” said Sen. Bam.

If the PNP will not make the necessary steps to hold erring policemen accountable for their illegal acts, Sen. Bam said abuses such as the secret jail cell will continue and even flourish.

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