Jinggoy calls for bipartisan support on bill banning, criminalizing use and production of chemical weapons

SENATE President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada is appealing for bipartisan support to his bill seeking to outlaw activities related to the use and manufacture of chemical weapons and establishing a verification mechanism for chemical industries to control toxic chemicals that can be diverted for the production of chemical weapons.

Estrada, chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, said the groundbreaking proposal is aimed at banning the development, production, possession, transfer, and use of chemical weapons within the country.

He added that Committee Report No. 344 on Senate Bill No. 2871, or the proposed Chemical Weapons Prohibition Act, will define offenses, set penalties, and outline enforcement procedures related to the chemical industry.

In pushing for his proposal, Estrada cited incidents of misuse of chemicals for nefarious purposes.

"Layunin natin na huwag magamit ang dual-use chemicals sa pagbuo ng mapaminsalang chemical weapons. Hindi natin nais na bigyan ng dagdag na pasanin o pigilan ang paglago ng ating local chemical industry, lalo't ito ay isa sa pinakamalaking manufacturing sub-sector sa bansa na kinabibilangan ng 1,400 chemical manufacturing firms at 147,000 direct employees. Ipinapanukala natin ang pag-streamline ng mga polisiyang sinusunod ng nasabing industriya at ang pagkakaroon ng coordination mechanism sa pagitan ng mga regulatory agencies upang hindi maging paulit-ulit o doble-doble ang mga permit na kailangan nilang kunin," Estrada said.

Dual-use chemicals are substances commonly found in everyday items such as solvents for dyes in textile printing, ink in ballpoint pens, coatings in paints, lubricants, and antioxidants in cosmetics. However, these chemicals can also be easily converted into chemical weapons, serving as vesicants or blistering agents that can be fatal to anyone exposed to them.

The enactment of the bill is obligated by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), of which the Philippines was among the first countries to sign in January 1993.

Despite the Senate's concurrence in the ratification of the CWC, Congress has not enacted the national legislation needed to fully enforce its objectives - which is a complete ban on a whole class of weapons of mass destruction.

"Apart from being an international obligation, this measure provides the regime to manage chemicals of security concern, as well as the tools to prevent, respond to, and manage chemical incidents, that is crucial for national security and regional stability. Moreover, this acts as a deterrence as the bill provides stiff penalties for violations, in consonance with the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and the Strategic Trade Management Act (STMA). The bill seeks to effectively reduce the threat of chemical terrorism and ensure that advancements in chemistry will only be for peaceful purposes," said Estrada.

Under the bill, violators will face penalties ranging from 12 years to life imprisonment, and as much as P5 million in monetary fines. Any foreigner found guilty of committing any offense shall be deported immediately without further proceedings after service of sentence and will be permanently barred from entering the country.

The maximum penalty will be imposed, in addition to a lifetime disqualification from holding any public office, on any government official or employee found guilty of committing an offense. Those who conspire to commit any of the prohibited acts will face the same penalties as those who commit the offenses.