REPUBLIC ACT 9262

Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004

Ano ang Anti-VAWC Act?

Ang Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children ay panukalang batas na ipinasa ng Kongreso noong Pebrero, 2004. Nilalayon ng batas na ito na tugunan ang laganap na pang-aabuso sa kababaihan ng kanilang mga intimate partners, kabilang ang dati o kasalukuyang asawa, live-in partner o boyfriend o girlfriend. Sa maraming pagkakataon, nadadamay din ang mga anak ng babae sa pang-aabuso kung kaya’t ito rin ay kasamang tinutugunan ng batas.

Ang Anti-VAWC Act o ang Republic Act 9262 ay pinirmahan ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo noong Marso, 2004.

Bakit kai langang magkaroon ng Anti-VAWC Act?

Ang pang-aabuso sa kababaihan ay isang malagim na realidad sa ating lipunan. Ayon sa Social Weather Stations Survey noong Nobyembre, 2003, may 21.6M na babae sa Pilipinas, edad 18 pataas, ang nakaranas o patuloy na nakakaranas ng pang-aabuso. Ang pang-aabuso ay madalas ding gawa ng kanilang mga karelasyon.

Madalas tinitingnan ito bilang normal na bahagi ng babae kapag siya ay pumasok sa isang relasyon o nag-kapamilya. Dahil dito, maraming babae ang hindi nagsasalita tungkol sa pang-aabusong kanilang nararanasan. Wala ring batas ang angkop na tumutugon sa iba’t-ibang klase ng pang-aabusong kanilang nararanasan bago ang Anti-VAWC Act.

Sino ang maaring maging biktima ng VAWC?

Sa ilalim ng batas, babae lamang at ang kanyang mga anak, (babae man o lalaki) ang maaring maging biktima ng VAWC. Kinikilala ng Anti-VAWC Act ang hindi pantay na sitwasyon ng babae at lalaki sa usaping pang-aabuso sa loob ng isang relasyon, kung saan ang babae ay higit na dehado.

Sa kabilang banda, maaaring lalaki o babae na dati o kasalukuyang karelasyon ng babaeng biktimaang mga maaaring sampahan ng kaso sa ilalim ng batas na ito.

Ang VAWC ay isang krimen.

Ang VAWC ay isang pampublikong krimen kung kaya’t bukod sa babaeng nakakaranas ng pang-aabuso, ang kasong VAWC ay maaari ding isampa ng kanyang kapamilya, barangay, social worker o concerned citizens. Dahil din sa ang VAWC ay pampublikong krimen, hindi dapat ito nireresolba sa pag-aareglo o pamimilit na makipagkasundo na lamang ang babae sa kanyang mapang-abusong karelasyon.

Kabilang sa mga aktong VAWC sa i lal im ng batas ay:

• Pisikal: panggugulpi, paninipa, panunutok ng baril o kahit anumang bagay na nakakasakit

• Sekswal: panggagahasa, pamimilit na manood ng x-rated na pelikula, pambubugaw ng asawa o anak

• Sikolohikal: pamamahiya, paninira ng gamit, pagkakait sa mga anak

• Ekonomik o pinansiyal: hindi pagbibigay ng suporta, pamimigil sa pagtatrabaho ng babae , pagkuha o pakontrol ng kita ng babae, paninira ng gamit sa bahay

Ilan pang mahahalagang tala tungkol sa VAWC:

• Ang pang-aabuso ay maaaring aktwal na isinagawa o ibinanta sa babae

• Ito ay maaaring direktang ginawa sa babae, o sa kanyang anak, iba pang kapamilya o alaga upang takutin ang babae

• Ito ay maaaring mangyari sa loob o labas ng bahay

Ano ang parusa sa VAWC?

Ang mga aktong VAWC ay maaaring parusahan ng pagkabilanggo ng maysala (depende sa bigat ng krimeng ginawa ang tagal), at pagbabayad ng danyos ng hindi bababa ng PhP100,000 ngunit hindi tataas ng PhP300,000. Kailangan ding sumailalim sa psychological counseling o psychiatric treatment ang maysala.

Ang Battered Woman Syndrome.

Kinikilala ng Anti-VAWC Act ang matinding epekto ng pang-aabuso sa kababaihan, lalo na kung matagal na panahon na nilang nararanasan ito. May mga kaso kung saan ang matinding galit na tinimpi ng babae ay humantong sa kanyang pagpatay sa karelasyon dahil ito na lamang ang nakikita niyang paraan upang makawala sa pang-aabuso.

Sa ganitong sitwasyon, maaaring gamitin bilang depensa sa korte ang battered woman syndrome upang mapawalang-sala ang babae. Ngunit kailangang mapatunayan muna sa tulong ng psychologist o psychiatrist ang kanyang pagkakaroon ng battered woman syndrome .

Tungkol sa Alak at Droga….

Hindi maaaring gamiting depensa ang pagiging lasing o bangag sa droga kung kaya’t nagawa ang krimen sa ilalim ng Anti-VAWC Act.

Protection Order

Sa ilalim ng Anti-VAWC Act, maaaring bigyan ng protection order ang babae bilang pansamantala o permanenteng proteksyon laban sa maaring patuloy na pang-aabuso ng kanyang karelasyon. Kabilang sa saklaw ng protection order ay ang sumusunod:

Protection Order

• Pagbabawal sa respondent (karelasyong nang-aabuso) na gumawa ng kahit anong aktong VAWC sa babae

• Pagbabawal sa respondent na gambalain uli ang babae (hal: panghaharass sa telepono)

• Pagpapaalis sa respondent sa bahay nila ng babae• Pagbabawal lumapit sa babae at sa mga tinukoy

nitong kapamilya o kamag-anak sa kanilang bahay, opisina, eskwelahan at iba pang lugar na madalas puntahan ng mga ito

Protection Order

• Pagkukumpiska ng korte sa baril at iba pang deadly weapon ng respondent

• Pagbabayad ng respondent sa pinsalang ginawa nito (hal: gastos sa ospital)

• Pagbibigay suporta ng respondent sa babae at kanilang anak

• Pagbibigay ng temporary o permanenteng custody sa babae ng kanyang mga anak

Mayroon ding tatlong klase ng protection order sa i lal im ng

Anti-VAWC Act:• Barangay protection order (BPO) :

binibigay ng barangay, may bisa ng 15 araw

• Temporary protection order (TPO) : binibigay ng korte, may bisa ng 30 araw

• Permanent protection order (PPO) : binibigay ng korte, may bisa hangga’t hindi nagpe-petisyon ang babae sa korte na ipawalang bisa ito

Barangay bi lang Kaagapay laban sa VAWC.

Lalong pinagtibay ng bagong batas ang mahalagang papel na ginagampanan ng barangay sa pagtugon sa mga kasong VAWC. Bukod sa pagbibigay ng BPO, ang sumusunod ay tungkulin ng mga opisyal ng barangay:

• Rumesponde agad sa mga reklamo ng VAWC• Magkumpiska ng baril at iba pang deadly weapon

ng nang-aabuso

Barangay bi lang Kaagapay laban sa VAWC.

• Samahan ang babae sa ospital o sa isang ligtas na lugar

• Tulungan ang babae mabawi ang kanyang personal na ari-arian sa bahay

• Siguraduhin ang pagpapatupad ng protection order• Arestuhin ang nang-aabuso kahit walang warrant

kung (1) nahuli nila ito sa akto ng pang-aabuso, (2) sila ay may personal na kaalaman na may naganap na aktong VAWC, o (3) mayroong panganib sa buhay ng babae

Barangay bi lang Kaagapay laban sa VAWC.

• I-report ang insidente sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) o sa mga accredited NGO’s

Ang hindi pagre-report ay may karampatang multa na PhP10,000, at maaari din silang masampahan ng kasong kriminal, sibil o administratibo.

Proteksyon laban sa Demanda

Ang barangay, pulis, concerned citizen na rumesponde sa kasong VAWC ay hindi maaaring idemanda para sa kanilang ginawang aksyon, kahit ito pa man ay naging marahas. Ngunit dapat patunayan din na ang dahas na kanilang ginamit ay hindi sumobra sa kung ano ang kinakailangan upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng biktima.

Pondo

May karampatang pondo na ilalaan sa ilalim ng General Appropriations Act upang maipatupad ang mga probisyon ng Anti-VAWC Act. Ang pondo para sa mga programa ng mga LGUs ay kukunin mula sa kanilang Gender and Development (GAD) Budget na hindi bababa sa 5% ng kanilang Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA) .

Papel ng Iba Pang Ahensya

Ang ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan ay may mahalagang bahagi ding ginagampanan sa pagtugon sa VAWC. Bukod sa mga healthcare providers na dapat magbigay ng karampatang aksyon sa babae (kabilang ang libreng medical certificate) , ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno at lokal na pamahalaan ay inaatasan din na magtatag ng mga programang tutugon sa VAWC. Halimbawa nito ay mga regular na pag-aaral nang mga empleyado tungkol sa VAWC at pagkakaroon ng mga information campaign.

Maraming Salamat! Mabuhay!

Violence Against Women and their Chi ldren is defined by

R.A. 9262 as:a) . any act/acts committed by any PERSON against:

1. a woman who may be the wife/former wife, or with whom the abuser has or had a sexual/dating relationship, or with whom the abuser has a common child; or

2. The woman’s child, whether legitimate or illegitimate.b) . The acts are committed within or outside the family residence.

Violence Against Women and their Chi ldren is defined by

R.A. 9262 as:c) . the acts result in physical, sexual, psychological form harm or suffering, economic abuse, threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or deprivation of liberty.

VAWC – Acts of VAWC include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Physical violence: bodily or physical harm

b. Sexual violence: any act that is sexual in nature, including but not limited to:

• Rape• Sexual harassment• Acts of lasciviousness• Treating the woman or her child as a sex object• Making demeaning and sexually suggestive

remarks

• Physically attacking the sexual parts of the victim’s body

• Forcing the victim to watch obscene publications and indecent shows

• Forcing the victim to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof

• Forcing the wife and mistress/lover to in the conjugal home or to sleep together in the same room with the abuser

• Causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity, physical or other harm, coercion or other threats thereof

• Prostituting the woman or her child

c) . Psychological violence: acts or omissions causing mental or emotional suffering of the victim, such as but not limited to:

• Intimidation• Harassment• Stalking• Damage to property• Public ridicule or humiliation• Repeated verbal abuse• Mental infidelity

• Causing or allowing the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a family member

• Causing or allowing the victim to witness pornography in any form

• Causing or allowing the victim to witness abusive injury to pets

• Unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children

d) . Economic abuse: acts that make a woman financially dependent, including:

• Withdrawal of financial support• Preventing the victim from engaging in any

legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity

• Deprivation of financial resources and the right to conjugal, community or property owned in common

• Destroying household property or controlling the victim’s own money or properties.

Battery – it is an act of inflicting physical harm upon the woman or her child resulting to physical and psychological or emotional distress.

Battered Woman Syndrome – it refers to a pattern of psychological and behavioral symptoms found in battered women as a result of a long history of abuse.

Stalking – it is an intentional act of a person of following or placing the woman or her child under surveillance.

Dating re lationship – a situation where the parties :

• Live together as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage, or

• Are romantically involved over time and on a continuing basis during the course of the relationship

Sexual re lations – it is a single act which may not result in the bearing of a common child

Children – they are those below eighteen (18) years of age, or older but are incapable of taking care of themselves. They include biological children of the woman-victim and other children under her care.

Other additional penalt ies imposed by this law.

In addition to imprisonment, the abuser shall:a) . Pay a fine in the amount of not less than P100,000.00 but not more than P300,000.00: andb) . Undergo a mandatory psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment.

The Battered Woman Syndrome

Victim-survivors who are found by the courts to be suffering from battered woman syndrome shall not have any civil or criminal liability even in the absence of any of the elements required for self-defense under the Revised Penal Code.

The defense that they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs:

-being under the influence of alcohol, any illicit drug, or any other mind-altering substances shall not be a defense for the commission of any of the crimes constituting violence against women and children.

Persons who intervene in cases of VAWC

- any person who intervenes in VAWC cases shall not be held criminally, civilly or administratively liable for as long as she/he acted in accordance with law and respondent without using unnecessary violence in ensuing the safety of the victim. The person referred to may be a private individual, a barangay official or a police authority.

Protection Orders

It is an order to prevent further acts of violence against a woman or her child and grants other necessary reliefs. Under the law, there are three (3) kinds of protection order:

1. Permanent protection order (PPO)2. Temporary protection order (TPO)3. Barangay protection order (BPO)

The fol lowing may apply for Protection Order:

Protection Orders

1. The offended party

2. Parents or guardians of the offended party

3. Ascendants, descendants or collateral relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity

4. Officers or social workers of the DSWD or social workers of local government units

5. Police officers, preferably those in charge of women and children’s desks

Protection Orders

6. Punong barangay or barangay kagawad

7. Lawyer, counselor, therapist or healthcare provider of the petitioner

Sec. 14. Barangay Protection Orders (BPOs) ; Who May

Issue an How. -Barangay Protection Orders (BPOs) refer to the protection order issued by the Punong Barangay ordering the perpetrator to desist from committing acts under Section 5 (a) and (b) of this Act. A Punong Barangay who receives applications for a BPO shall issue the protection order to the applicant on the date of filing after ex parte determination of the basis of the application. If the Punong Barangay is unavailable to act on the application for a BPO, the application shall be acted upon by any available Barangay Kagawad.

If the BPO is issued by a Barangay Kagawad, the order must be accompanied by an attestation by the Barangay Kagawad that the Punong Barangay was unavailable at the time of the issuance of the BPO. BPOs shall be effective for fifteen (15) days. Immediately after the issuance of an ex parte BPO, the Punong Barangay or Barangay Kagawad shall personally serve a copy of the same on the respondent, or direct any barangay official to effect its personal service.

The parties may be accompanied by a non-lawyer advocate in any proceeding before the Punong Barangay.

Sec. 30. Duties of Barangay Offic ials and Law Enforcers .

- Barangay officials and law enforcers shall have the following duties:

a) . Respond immediately to a call for help or request for assistance or protection of the victim by entering the dwelling if necessary whether or not a protection order has been issued and ensure the safety of the victim/s;

b) . Confiscate any deadly weapon in the possession of the perpetrator or within plain view;

c) . Transport or escort the victim/s to a safe place of their choice or to a clinic or hospital;

d) . Assist the victim in removing personal belongings from the house;

e) . Assist the barangay officials and other government officers and employees who respond to a call for help;

f) . Ensure the enforcement of the Protection Orders issued by the Punong Barangay or by the courts;

g) . Arrest the suspected perpetrator even without a warrant when any of the acts of violence defined by this Act is occurring, or

when he/she has personal knowledge that any act of abuse has just been committed, and there is imminent danger to the life or limb of the victim as define in this Act;and

h) . Immediately report the call for assessment or assistance of the DSWD, Social Welfare Department of LGUs or accredited non-government organizations (NGOs).

Any barangay official or law enforcer who fails to report the incident shall be liable for a fine not exceeding Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) or whenever applicable criminal, civil or administrative liability.

Sec. 33. Prohibited Acts .

- A Punong Barangay , Barangay Kagawad or the court hearing on application for a protection order shall not order, direct, force or in any way unduly influence the applicant for a protection order to compromise or abandon any of the reliefs sought in the application for protection order under this Act. Section 7 of the Family Courts Act of 1997 and Sections 410, 411, 412 and 413 of the Local Government Code of 1991 shall not apply in proceedings where relief is sought under this Act.

Sec. 33. Prohibited Acts .

Failure to comply with this Section shall render the official or judge administratively liable.

Section 47. Duties and Functions of Brgy. Offic ials

In order to eliminate violence against women and their children, barangay officials shall:

a) . Undertake an education program on Republic Act no. 9262 and on violence against women and their children and why it exists, the rights and remedies of victim-survivors, and the duties of residents and all barangay officials;

b) . Have a family violence prevention program, including peer counseling for men;

c ). Support organizing efforts and development programs for women in the community;

d) . Prioritize livelihood for victim-survivors;e) . Involve women in planning and

implementation of all programs and projects in the barangay;

f) . Have an Anti-VAWC desk officer in the barangay who shall coordinate a one-stop help desk. As much as possible, this help shall be open for 24 hours;

g) . Ensure that all barangay officials, barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, other barangay workers and tanod or

barangay security officers undergo gender sensitivity seminars to enable them to respond to victims of violence;

h) . Develop a system to document and report cases of VAWC and assistance program to victims thereof; and

i) . If applicable/necessary, prescribe additional guidelines and standards provided that these are consistent with the Act.