Stakeholders in the justice sector took centre stage during the “Criminal Code Committee Roadshow and Regional Forum: Presentation Forum of the New Criminal Code Book 1”, the one-day roadshow and regional public forum conducted in Legazpi City, Albay last 25 May 2012 under the joint project of the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) and the German Federal Foreign Office – “Crafting a Modern Criminal Code for the Philippines.” A milestone in the course of the implementation of the project’s consultative activities, the event served as the platform where the draft of the Book 1 of the proposed “new” criminal code for the Philippines was presented to the general public for review and feedback, as well as to gather inputs for Book 2.

In the panel led by Assistant Secretary Geronimo L. Sy of the DOJ to discuss the new code were his co-Members of the Experts Group: Atty. Jeremy V. Bionat of the office of Undersecretary Leah C. Tanodra-Armamento of the DOJ; Administrator Manuel G. Co of the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), DOJ; City Prosecutor Feliciano A. Aspi of the Office of the City Prosecutor of Makati, National Prosecution Service, DOJ; and, Deputy General Counsel Attorney Rodolfo G. Urbiztondo of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). The discussions that were carried out served to clarify points raised and bring to the fore matters that need further attention, and the views shared and inputs contributed by the participants were duly noted for the Experts Group consideration in the drafting of the Book 2.

In the same morning, Fr. Pau Barandon of Radyo Veritas Legazpi conducted a live interview via phone patch with Assistant Secretary G. L. Sy regarding the activity (please click on the link below to listen to the interview).

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This pilot roadshow forms part of the advocacy campaign for the “new” criminal code and was combined with a regional public forum to maximize the gathering of insights, and to obtain the public’s response to specific issues identified from stakeholders in the provinces comprising the Bicol region. The draft of the “new” criminal code was bourne out of the intensive efforts of the Members of the Experts Group formed under the Criminal Code Committee created by virtue of DOJ Department Circular No. 19 on 20 April 2011 to “undertake the review of the RPC, as amended, and all existing criminal statutes” and thereby tasked to “draft an organic, Filipino and modern criminal code that consolidates and harmonizes the penal laws for an effective, efficient and economical administration of criminal justice.”

The event was attended by 70 participants from government agencies, such as the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Judiciary, Local Government Units, League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, Councilor’s League and the DOJ and its attached agencies, including the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), National Prosecution Service (NPS), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Land Registration Authority (LRA), as well as civil society organisations such as the AKO-Bicol Party List (AKB), Children International, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Bicol, together with the academe, the Aquinas University of Legazpi, Bantayan National High School. Bicol College and University of Nueva Caceres. The next roadshow and regional public forum, which is one of the two roadshows and regional public fora that will cover the Visayas region, will be held in Cebu City in July 2012.