SENATE President Aquilino Pimentel on Sunday raised the need for congress to revisit the decades old sexual harassment laws to update the penalties that would reflect present day realities. Pimentel plans to direct the appropriate Senate committees to look into increasing the penalties for acts of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. Under the 1995 Harassment Law, those convicted of sexual harassment face imprisonment of not more than six months or a fine of not more than P20,000. The Senate president said the current laws were not enough to provide victim of harassment enough protection and tougher penalties to offenders and would-be violators. “As a lawyer and legislator, I consider sexual harassment as one of the sickest and most deplorable offenses that can be committed because it goes into the very dignity of the victim,” Pimentel said.

Source: Manila Times February 11, 2018 17:37 UTC