Solon bats for creation of nat’l registry of sex offenders

A registry containing all relevant information about convicted sex offenders may soon be established if a bill filed in the House of Representatives becomes a law.

House Bill 6301 filed by ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Samuel Pagdilao proposes the creation of a National Sex Offender Registry System so that law enforcement agencies could easily access information about convicted sex offenders— both local and foreign nationals.

Under the measure, the following information of a convicted sex offender shall be included in the database: name, address, employment, fingerprints, DNA sample, complete criminal history and recent photograph. Other information that law enforcement agencies deem to be necessary could also be obtained from the person convicted of the crime.

The bill defines “sex offenders” as any person convicted by final judgment of: rape under Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code; crimes committed against chastity as defined under Book 2, Title XI of the Revised Penal Code; and violations of Section 5 (g) of Republic Act 9262, as amended, as well as other forms of Sexual Violence as defined therein.

Sex offenders shall also include persons convicted by final judgment before foreign courts for the crimes of rape, sexual assault, acts of lasciviousness, or other similar crimes involving sexual violence or activity.

Should HB 6301 become a law, every convicted sex offender shall be compelled to register in each province, municipality, or city wherein he resides, is employed, or is a student before being released from prison.

A sex offender who changes residence, employment, or school shall be required to update the information he provided for the registry within 10 days. Convicts of the crime shall be likewise compelled to regularly update their personal data contained in the database.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) shall be mandated to create and maintain the necessary database, computer system, and software that will establish the National Sex Offender Registry System which shall allow immediate information-sharing between local and foreign jurisdictions, including law enforcement agencies.

The database, computer system and software created shall be shared and distributed to Local Government Units (LGUs) for the operation of a uniform registry and Internet websites.

While ordinary citizens will be barred from having access to the detailed information of the registered sex offender, the government could put up a website containing relevant information about the convicts, such as their name, recent photograph, and the crime committed.

Every LGU shall be required to maintain its own online registry, which shall be accessible to the general public.

Any sex offender who shall knowingly and willfully fail to register or update his information shall suffer the penalty of one to five-year imprisonment. In the event that a unregistered sex offender commits any crime, the penalty of five to 10 years imprisonment shall be imposed in addition to penalty that will be meted out for the violation he has done.

Pagdilao, a former chief of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said the proposed database system will boost the country’s capability to monitor the activities of foreign pedophiles and at the same time warn communities about the presence of a convicted sex offender.

“The aim is not to humiliate or embarrass convicted sex offenders. However, the high risk of recidivism in sex offenders calls for this drastic and serious measure, which is necessary for the protection of children and society from sex-related crimes,” he said in the bill’s explanatory note. — Xianne Arcangel/BM, GMA News