COMMUNITY SERVICE LAW WILL BE A GAME CHANGER - GORDON

Senator Richard J. Gordon said Senate Bill No. 2195 or the Community Service Act will be a game changer once passed into law.

SBN 2195, aside from decongesting the country's jails, aims to promote restorative justice by allowing courts to impose community service instead of jail term for minor offenses which are punishable by arresto menor and arresto mayor.

"This will be a game changer. Instead of serving time in jail, offenders who committed minor offenses will pay their debt to society by doing community service which will be beneficial to the whole community. This way they can do penance for the offenses they committed without worsening the congestion of our jails across the country," he said.

The bill, which Gordon authored and sponsored, was passed on third and final reading last Monday.

It provides that community service shall consist of any actual physical activity which inculcates civic consciousness, and is intended towards the improvement of a public work or promotion of a public service.

However, the privilege of rendering community service in lieu of service in jail shall be availed of only once.

If the defendant violates the terms of the community service, the court shall order his re-arrest and the defendant shall serve the full term of the penalty, as the case may be, in jail.

If the defendant has fully complied with the terms of the community service, the court shall order the release of the defendant unless detained for some other offense.