On August 29, 2007, CIBAC Rep. Joel Villanueva joined Rep. Benny Abante of Manila in the fight against pornography. 

REP. VILLANUEVA. Mr. Speaker, although I don’t agree that we only need five minutes to discuss this matter. But anyway, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, let me just congratulate my distinguish colleague from manila for bringing this issue against of the devils of pornography here in this august chamber.

But Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, may I ask the distinguished Gentleman from Manila, why is this happening right now, Mr. Speaker, your Honor. It appears that the administration or the opposition is not doing anything to comply with the policies of our Constitution. 

REP. ABANTE. First of all, Mr. Speaker, to speak the Constitution with all of the imperfections, Mr. Speaker, I think that the Philippine Constitution is one of the best Constitutions ever written in the whole world, because of Constitution is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, Mr. Speaker. 

Now, when it comes to the question of my dear colleague, Mr. Speaker, may I also remind him because he also believes in the Bible. The Bible speaks of lawlessness increasing in the last age and that we are living in perilous and despicable times, Mr. Speaker. But again, the government does not have any excuse whatsoever in not addressing this moral problem that is eroding the moral fiber of this nation, Mr. Speaker. In fact in the 13^th Congress I have never heard this topic, this problem even being spoken in the 3 years I was here in the 13^th Congress, Mr. Speaker. 

REP. VILLANUEVA. Well, Mr. Speaker, with due respect to my distinguished colleague, since the 12^th Congress and the 13^th Congress, as already mentioned by our dear colleague, Congressman Way Kurat Zamora, we have been espousing and pushing for measures that would address the problem. In fact we even launched a campaign, together with then Congressman now Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Congressman Timmy Chipeco to, at least, do something with this worsening problem of pornography. Let me also remind the distinguished Gentleman as he has been consistently and religiously reading the Bible.

In the Book of the Proverbs, it sates that righteousness exalts a nation. But sin is a reproach to any people. In the Book of Psalms, it talks about having a blessed nation – blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord. So, Mr. Speaker, your Honor, if these things are happening right now, would you say that this nation, perhaps, or probably the government of this nation is not recognizing the importance of righteousness? Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, this Congress or the previous Congresses are not – are ignoring the fact that righteousness is important for this nation to attain our – attain that dream of becoming a blessed nation, Mr. Speaker. 

REP. ABANTE. Mr. Speaker, your Honor, I believe that at this point in time, the three equal branches of government should now work in tandem, addressing this pressing problem, including the “fourth state” as we call it, the media, Mr. Speaker. And I go with the sentiments of my friend and colleague, Congressman Villanueva of CIBAC, in really addressing this problem to the core. And if for example, the law enforcement agencies would not do anything about this as they ought to, and, perhaps, other agencies would not, then Mr. Speaker, I would stand in every session day in Congress, always mentioning this area of problem until such time that things are being done, Mr. Speaker. 

REP. VILLANUEVA. Thank you very much, distinguished colleague. I just wanted to raise another issue. And this is the issue of having very low penalties being imposed to the perpetrators. Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, if you look at our revised Penal Code, about P12,000.00 or imprisonment of not more that six years ang kaukulang parusa sa mga perpetrators. Do you think, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, that this is perhaps one of the main reasons why a lot of perpetrators are enjoying the fact that they are violating our laws with regard to pornography, Mr. Speaker, your honor. 

REP. ABANTE. I would agree with that Mr. Speaker. In fact, in my House Bill No. 708, to be known as the Anti-Obscenity and Pornography Act, Mr. Speaker, we have increased the penalties from P100,000.00 to P500,000.00, even to P1,000,000.00 and four to five years imprisonment. Why, because I believe that the penalties in the Revised Penal Code is too small. And as I have said earlier, Mr. Speaker, that even the words being – the words tat are written in the Revised Penal Code, Article 201 are not even properly defined.; And in my bill, Mr. Speaker, all of these words like “obscene”, “indecent shows”, “immoral doctrines” are properly defined, Mr. Speaker. 

REP. VILLANUEVA. Thank you very much Speaker, distinguished colleague. I would just like to ask the thoughts of the distinguished Gentleman not only because he is the Representative of the City of Manila, but also being a bishop, a man of God. If we, indeed, need some sort of regulatory commission, in order to, at least, oversee, because Mr. Speaker, if you look at television, for instance, or radio, at least we have KBP or Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas.

Sa mga films, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, nandiyan ang MTRCB. Although, I cannot say that MTRCB is doing its job. But, Mr. Speaker, when you talk about tabloids – ito pong mga ipinakita ninyo kanina na, excuse for the word, pero nakapandidiri – hindi ho ba kailangan natin na mag-create ng isang commission o isang regulatory commission na kung saan ay titingin dito at kung saan ay may kaukulang kapangyarihan din para parusahan ang mga perpetrators nitong mga gawaing ito. 

REP. ABANTE. Palagay ko po, Mr. Speaker. In fact I would be asking the good Congressman from CIBAC to join me in crafting a bill for that purpose, Mr. Speaker. 

REP. VILLANUEVA. I will definitely support the proposal of the distinguished Gentleman. I join him also in fighting, being a crusader of this particular issues in fighting the evils of pornography. And I would just like to put for the record, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, that this Representation filed House Bill No. 998. I just notice our distinguished colleagues from the Minority with their laptops, with their Mac – I call this bill ‘IPOD Bill”, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor, - Indecency, Pornography, Obscenity, Deterrence bill. And this will not only tackle issues like the proliferation of pornographic smut magazines or tabloids but also movies, even Internet pornography, Mr. Speaker, Your Honor. 

I would like, again, to congratulate, my distinguished colleague, and our Party-List CIBAC or Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption is with him in his crusade in fighting the evils of pornography. Thank your very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, distinguished colleague.