By Rey E. Requejo
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday said the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11930, the law against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), are expected for approval by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in May.
The DOJ, which chairs the IACAT, said the draft of the IRR was presented during the council’s 57th regular meeting last April 24.
In a statement, the IACAT said approval of the IRR was reset to a special council meeting on May 4 “on request of some member-agencies for some final suggestions.”
RA 11930, which lapsed into law on July 30, 2022, was authored by Sen. Risa Hontiveros. The law grants additional tools for law enforcement and increases responsibilities of social media platforms, electronic service providers, as well as internet and financial intermediaries.
According to the IACAT, the draft of the 2023 Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities for International-Bound Filipino Passengers was also presented.
However, it said the approval of the draft revised guidelines was “deferred to give the member agencies more time to submit their comments on the latest draft and to allow the conduct of a public consultation thereafter.”
It said the council decided to revise the guidelines after receiving reports that immigration officers have been found abusing the departure formalities that has led to a number of Filipinos missing or rebooking their flights.
Also during the meeting, DOJ Assistant Secretaries Jose Dominic Clavano IV and Francis John Tejano were introduced as its newest members.
Clavano has been designated to oversee communications and policy concerns, while Tejano will oversee operations and administrative concerns.
IACT members earlier vowed to have a synchronized and coordinated advocacy against human trafficking in the next five years as they launched the council’s 4th National Strategic Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons for 2023 to 2027.
Aside from the secretary of justice, the other members of IACAT are the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare & Development, as co-chairperson, secretary of Department of Education, secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs, secretary of the Department of Labor & Employment, secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government,
Secretary of the Department of Transportation, secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, secretary of the Department of Tourism, secretary of Department of Migrant Workers, secretary of the Department of Health, chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, commissioner of the National Authority for Child Care,
Chief of the Philippine National Police, executive director of the Philippine Commission on Women, commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, executive director of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, director of the National Bureau of Investigation, executive director of the Council for the Welfare of Children, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard,
Chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, president of the League of the Provinces of the Philippines, president of the League of the Cities of the Philippines, president of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines, national director of the International Justice Mission, executive director of the Blas Ople Policy Center and Training Institute, and the executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking of Women-Asia and the Pacific.