Berlin. 27 October 2012. The Philippine Criminal Code ComIn Munich, the Code Committee also visited the Bavarian State Bureau of Criminal Investigation and met with representatives of the Forensic Technical Institute. The members of the committee also listened to lectures on substantive and procedural criminal law given by Dr. Laurent Lafleur, judge from the District Court of Munich, and Mr. Stefan Antor, Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeals of Munich. The Committee members also observed an actual court hearing at the Center of Criminal Justice and met with Ms. Stefanie von Strünk of the Bavarian State Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection.mittee (Code Committee), formed in 2011 to undertake the review of the Revised Penal Code, was in Munich and Berlin from 23 to 29 October 2012 for an exchange and information program upon the invitation of the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation (HSF).
Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad with Mr. Michael Glos, MdB, Member of the Federal Parliament and Mr. Siegfried Kauder, MdB, Member of the Federal Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Justice.
The members of the Code Committee met their counterparts to learn more about best practices in the German jurisdiction and to give updates on the progress of their work in drafting a new Criminal Code that would improve the administration of criminal justice in the Philippines.
Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy presents the work of the Criminal Code Committee at the Federal Foreign Office.
In Berlin, Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad welcomed the delegation at the Philippine residence and accompanied them in meetings at the Federal Foreign Office (FFO), the Federal Parliament, and the Federal Chancellery. At the FFO, Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy, who chairs the Code Committee, gave a presentation on the status of their work towards crafting a modern Criminal Code. At the Federal Parliament, Congressman Niel C. Tupas Jr. also met with his counterpart, Mr. Siegfried Kauder, MdB, who chairs the Committee on Justice.
Congressman Niel C. Tupas, Jr. leads discussions at the Federal Chancellery.
“The Criminal Code Committee has made so much progress since their visit last year. Given the dynamism of the Committee, I am optimistic that this cooperation between our criminal justice authorities will be sustained in the long term,” Ambassador Natividad said, noting the report of Chairperson Sy that the Committee had completed Book 1 of the New Criminal Code and had presented the proposed penal law to relevant stakeholders in a roadshow in the Philippines.
Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad welcomes the Criminal Code Committee at the Philippine Embassy during the Dialogue with the Filipino Community.
The delegation also participated in the 6th Philippine Embassy Dialogue with the Filipino Community in Berlin. Congressman Niel C. Tupas, Jr. and Undersecretary Leah T. Armamento spoke before the Filipino community and reported on developments in the Philippines, particularly on their continuing work for good governance and anti-corruption reforms.
The delegation was headed by Congressman Niel C. Tupas, Jr. (5th District of Iloilo, 15th Congress of the Philippines), Chairperson of the Committee of Justice in Congress. He was joined by Undersecretary Leah T. Armamento (DOJ), Assistant Secretary Geronimo L. Sy (DOJ), Government Corporate Counsel Raoul C. Creencia (OGCC), Assistant Solicitor General Marissa M. Guillen (OSG), City Prosecutor Atty. Feliciano A. Aspi (Office of the City Prosecutor of Makati City), Assistant City Prosecutor Jeremy V. Bionat (Office of the City Prosecutor of Iloilo City), State Prosecutor Hazel C. Decena-Valdez (National Prosecution Service), Atty. Clemente M. Clemente (Regional Trial Court of Manila), Atty. Ethel B. Regadio (Land Registration Authority), Atty. Lyra Stella C. Valera (PNP). The delegation was accompanied by Mr. Paul G. Schäfer Resident Representative of the Hans Seidel Stiftung in the Philippines. (END)
