House OKs bill regulating criminology profession

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure that seeks to regulate the practice of the criminology profession in the country.

With a vote of 192, the chamber approved House Bill 7191 or the proposed Philippine Criminology Profession Act authored by Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano and Cagayan De Oro City Representative Maximo Rodriguez.

The bill, which repeals RA 6506 or An Act Creating The Board Of Examinees For Criminologists In The Philippines, will govern the examination, registration and licensure for criminologists as well as the supervision, control and regulation of the practice of criminology;

It also aims to the develop the professional competence of criminologists through a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program and integrate all criminology professional groups.

Under the measure, a Professional Regulatory Board of Criminologists will be created under the administrative supervision and control of the Professional Regulation Commission.

The board, which will be composed of a chairperson and four members to be appointed by the President, is tasked to supervise and regulate the registration, licensure, and practice of criminology in accordance with the provisions of the Act, promulgate and issue rules and regulations implementing the provisions of the proposed measure, and to promulgate and adopt a Code of Ethics and a Code of Good Governance for the practice of criminology.

The board is likewise mandated to recommend to the PRC the endorsement of cases involving criminal violations of the Act, its implementing rules and regulations, and other laws to the Prosecution Office or appropriate government agency for investigation and appropriate action.

Aside from these, the body is also tasked to prepare and maintain a roster showing the names, residence and office addresses of all registered criminologists into one national organization of criminologists that is duly registered with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Examinees who pass the licensure examination of the PRC will be issued a certificate of registration.

A professional identification card which bears the registration number and date of issuance, its validity and expiry duly signed by the PRC chairperson will also be issued to every registrant.

Once a criminologist has been registered, he or she will be exempted from taking any other entrance or qualifying government or civil service.

Individuals who are authorized to practice criminology in the country are those who are the duly registered criminologists and holders of valid certificates of registration and valid professional identification cards issued by the board and the PRC and holders of valid temporary or special permits issued by the board and the PRC to foreign licensed criminologists.

Others who may do so are as follows:

• juridical persons such as single proprietorship whose owner and technical staff are registered criminologists;
• partnerships duly registered with the SEC as professional partnerships pursuant to the Civil Code and composed of partners, majority of whom are registered criminologists;
• corporations duly registered with the SEC as engaged in the practice of criminology and with officers and board of directors who are all registered criminologists; and
• associations and cooperatives duly registered with the appropriate government agency as non-stock corporations where majority of the officer, board of trustees, and members are registered criminologists
• These juridical persons should also register with the board and the PRC in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Thirty-five other lawmakers have co-authored the bill. —Erwin Colcol/KBK, GMA News