Many stalkers need treatment—psychiatrist

Those who are accused of stalking should undergo medical check up, a psychiatrist said in a report on GMA News TV's News To Go. 

 

Psychiatrist Rene Samaniego, public relations officer of the Philippine Psychiatric Association explained, "Not all stalkers have mental disorders. But not uncommonly, 'yung mga individuals who have been brought to the criminal justice system, 'yung mga nagkakaroon ng kaso because of stalking, it has been found that about half of these individuals or about 50 percent have actually psychiatric disorders."

 

Stalking becomes a mental illness when it goes in the way of everyday life. 

 

'Yung mga nang-i-i-stalk, they themselves are victims if they are indeed suffering from a mental health issue," Samaniego said. 

He said making stalkers pay fines or putting them in jail won't help them, in the mental health perspective.

 

Anti-Stalking Law

 

Sorsogon representative Evelina Escudero recently filed House Bill 5064 or the proposed Anti-Stalking Law. It will allow filing of case against a person—a stalker—who is found to have initiated disallowed contact with another person on at least three separate occassions. 

 

If guilty, the  stalker may be penalized with imprisonment of from six months to six years. A fine between P100,000 and P500,000 may also be imposed. If a victim is a woman or a minor, the fine could go as high as P1,000,000. 

 

The bill also says that the stalker is required to undergo medical, psychological or psychiatric examination and treatment once convicted. He or she is also set to enter and remain in a specific institution upon the court’s discretion. —Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News