Stalking, a celebrity鈥檚 nightmare, might soon become a crime in the Philippines.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a bill penalizing stalking, a common problem confronting famous people or celebrities.
In Senate Bill No. 1778, or the 鈥淎nti-Stalker Act,鈥� the senator defines stalking has an act of 鈥渉arassing, bothering, frightening and otherwise interfering with the private lives of people.鈥�
Stalking, she said, is 鈥渁 form of disguised intimidation, which may be a subtle attempt at harassment.鈥�
Celebrities here and abroad have had to deal with fanatic followers, who border on being stalkers. This reality apparently goes with fame, but SB 1778 seeks to provide boundaries to protect victims, who may not necessarily be popular.
鈥淓xisting civil and criminal remedies are insufficient to prevent the commission of the act,鈥� Santiago argued in her bill鈥檚 explanatory note.
SB 1778 defines stalking as a form of harassment that is 鈥渄irected at a particular person, seriously alarms, disturbs, or terrorizes the person.鈥� It 鈥渟erves no legitimate purpose鈥� and causes 鈥渁 reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress.鈥�
Credible threat
Stalking also involves a 鈥渟eries of acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose.鈥� It includes a 鈥渃redible threat鈥� intended to 鈥渃ause the person who is the target to reasonably fear (for) his or her safety.鈥�
鈥淭he threat must be against the life of, or a threat to cause bodily injury to, a person,鈥� according to the bill.
In particular, stalking is characterized by 鈥渞epeated unsolicited phone calls without the purpose of legitimate communication,鈥� and 鈥渞epeated communications (done) anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours or in offensively course language.鈥�
Santiago鈥檚 bill also classifies as stalking 鈥渞epeated visits to the victim鈥檚 home or workplace鈥� and 鈥渞epeatedly maintaining visual or physical proximity to the victim in or about a public place.鈥�
SB 1778 penalizes stalking with a jail term of up to six years or a fine worth between P1,000 and P5,000.
鈥淚f the offender subsequently commits the same crime or is a family or household member of the victim, the next higher penalty shall be imposed,鈥� according to the measure.