MANILA – Senator Francis ‘TOL’ N. Tolentino has proposed the creation of a Special Senate Committee on Admiralty Matters.
Tolentino raised the idea during Tuesday’s plenary session following the referral of the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act under House Bill No. 7819 to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
In his manifestation, Tolentino said that since the Senate is expected to tackle several maritime measures that will be filed this 19th Congress, the Senate leadership should consider the creation of a Special Committee on Admiralty Matters “to hear and sponsor all measures related to maritime zone bills as well as the baseline acts.”
“Perhaps, the Majority Leader being the chairman of the Committee on Rules can recognize this important manifestation,” the senator stressed.
In the same manifestation, Tolentino suggested the transfer of referral of HB 7819 from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to the Justice and Human Rights panel since the proposed legislation has something to do with immigration laws.
“A bill coming from the House of Representatives was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations—it has something to do with the Maritime Zone bill and, perhaps, bills emanating from this chamber. Mr. President, may I seek a reconsideration of this, either this be referred to the Committee on Justice because immigration laws will be implicated,” said Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
According to Tolentino, the Senate Rules is very specific—Rule 10, Section 13—that the justice panel “shall have jurisdiction of all matters relating to the organization of justice as well as the implementation of human rights.”
“Since this (house bill) would implicate basic human rights of fisherfolks, this representation believes that this should be lodged with the Committee on Justice,” Tolentino explained.