Press Release
June 1, 2009

REVILLA SLAMS ABANTE OVER MISLEADING FACTS ON PORN BILL

"Research before you besmirch. You're barking on the wrong tree. You should fire your staff for putting you in an embarrassing situation."

This was the advice of Senator Bong Revilla to Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. over the latter's accusation that he should be blamed for the proliferation of cybersex videos. Revilla vehemently denied Abante's allegation that he sat on the House-approved Bill 3305, which seeks to slap penalties on cyber pornography, when he was chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.

"I urge the good congressman to get his facts straight before making unfounded assertions and accusations such as this. He should be responsible so that he does not make himself appear ignorant in front of the public," Revilla said.

The senator explained that HB 3305 was indeed transmitted to the Senate and read on first reading on February 12, 2008. However, contrary to Abante's claim, the measure was primarily referred to the Committee on Justice and Human Rights and not to his committee. "As a legislator, he should at least know which committee his measure was referred to and that the duty of scheduling his House Bill for hearing does not fall under the responsibility of my previous committee," he pointed out.

Revilla however clarified that he does share Abante's zeal and interest in passing quality legislation aimed at curtailing the proliferation of pornography. "As a fellow lawmaker, I empathize with him on the frustration he must be feeling that his measure has yet to become law," the senator said.

"In fact, as early as July 2007, I have filed the Anti- Pornography Bill which covers the tri-media as well as cyberspace. A committee report has already been filed last November 14, 2008, having been signed by the committee members. Unfortunately, the filing was refused by the Committee on Rules because technicalities arose regarding the bill's primary referral," he stressed.

According to former Committee on Public Information Secretary Norberto Villanueva, the Rules Committee said the referral should have been to the Justice and Human Rights Committee and not to the Public Information and Mass Media Committee, resulting to the refusal and delay.

Before the technicalities were pointed out however, Revilla successfully conducted Public Hearings and Technical Working Groups on the consolidated measure of 11 bills filed by him and Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda, Manuel Villar, and Mirian Defensor-Santiago.

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