House won't probe Hayden sex videos - Nograles

MANILA, Philippines - Unlike the Senate, the House of Representatives will not probe the sex video scandal involving celebrity doctor Hayden Kho Jr. and various women including actress-model Katrina Halili. In a statement, Speaker Prospero Nograles said the House will instead speed up the passage of bills banning the recording and distribution of sex videos. "I don't think that there is still a need to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on this because there are already a number of pending measures related to this controversy. What we should do now is to act swiftly in passing these measures," he said. In a note distributed to reporters Tuesday, Nograles instructed Majority Leader Arthur Defensor Sr. to give top priority to House Bill 4315 or the Anti Cyber Boso bill which seeks to "prohibit and penalize the recording of private act or acts and other violations of the privacy of an individual." The bill, which was principally authored by Buhay Representatives Irwin Tieng, Rene Velarde and Ma. Carissa Coscolluela, has been approved by the House justice committee and is currently up for plenary debate. "The Anti-Cyber Boso Bill which is being pushed by Buhay party-list representatives is very timely as we are confronted by this sex scandal contagion. The Hayden Kho sex scandal controversy should serve as a wake up call for Congress to penalize the reckless disregard of one's privacy and for the public to be more responsible and more discerning in their actions," Nograles said. HB 4315 aims to penalize even the "mere act of recording or any attempt of recording the private act or acts, including but not limited to sexual act, and other violations of the privacy of an individual which would cause public ridicule, without the consent of the parties, and if there is consent in the recording, there is no assent to its sharing, showing or exhibition to other persons." The measure proposes to impose upon violators a penalty of up to six years imprisonment and a fine of up to P500,000. The Senate committee on youth, women and family relations under Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal will begin on Thursday its probe on the sex scandal hounding Kho and the women involved in the videos. Madrigal had said that there will be no playing of the sex videos during the hearing. - GMANews.TV