The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill imposing
penalties on the tapping of cable television and internet connections
in the country.
On Monday afternoon, the Senate
approved Senate Bill 3345 or the Anti-Cable Television and Cable
Internet Tapping Act of 2012 which seeks to prohibit the illegal tapping
of any signal offered over cable television (CATV) or cable internet
system and the "malicious" destruction or removal of authorized CATV or
cable internet facilities.
Under the measure, offenders shall be penalized with imprisonment of two to five years and/or a fine of P50,000 to P100,000.
Aside from tapping, the bill also prohibits recording, reproducing,
distributing, importing or selling of any intercepted or received CATV
system/network signals for commercial purposes without the consent of
the concerned CATV or cable Internet service provider.
During a hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on public
information and mass media, it was reported that there are about 1.5
million unauthorized cable connections and 2 million legitimate cable
subscribers.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile
had also cited statistics from 2004 showing the cable industry
reportedly lost P3.92 billion from signal theft and illegal
connections.
He likewise said that P2.13
billion was “foregone government revenues in the form of taxes, import
duties and licensing fees” for that year. He said cable industry losses
increased to P5 billion the following year.
Drunk driving
Drunk driving
Aside from this bill, the Senate also approved on third and final
reading Senate Bill No. 3365 or the the Anti-drunk and Drugged Driving
Act of 2012, which seeks to impose heavy penalties on drivers driving
under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Under
the measure, Senate public order and illegal drugs committee chair Sen.
Gregorio Honasan said drivers caught driving under the influence (DUI)
of alcohol or drugs but have not caused any physical injury or homicide,
shall be fined from P20,000 to P80,000 and face three months
imprisonment.
On the other hand, DUI resulting
in physical injuries shall be punished with a fine between P100,000 to
P200,000 and imprisonment ranging from three months to 12 years
depending on the injury caused while DUI leading to homicide shall be
penalized with a fine between P300,000 to P500,000 or imprisonment
ranging 12 years to 20 years.
Honasan also said
mandatory alcohol and drug testing will be required for drivers involved
in accidents which resulted in injury or death.
Before these bills are passed into laws, the House of Representatives will also need to approve its own version of the measure which will have to be reconciled by a bicameral conference committee.
Once the version is approved, it will have to be ratified by both Houses and then submitted to the President for signing. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News
Before these bills are passed into laws, the House of Representatives will also need to approve its own version of the measure which will have to be reconciled by a bicameral conference committee.
Once the version is approved, it will have to be ratified by both Houses and then submitted to the President for signing. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News
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