In the latest episode of CIA with BA, Senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano and King of Talk Boy Abunda faced another set of complaints involving debt.
In one case, a woman complained about her partner who allegedly abused her several times and still demanded payment for some of the expensive things he spent with her when they were together.
In the other case, three men sought legal advice as the checks they received as payment from a business process outsourcing (BPO) company for their services bounced.
Responding to Abunda’s clarification for the audience if there are people who get imprisoned due to debt, Senator Alan said: “Bawal kasi sa konstitusyon natin na magpakulong dahil sa utang pero [may] nakukulong dahil sa tumalbog na cheke.”
The sibling senators admitted that issues like these need a closer look and perhaps new sets of laws considering the speedy advancement of technology.
“Malay mo, magkaroon din ng digital na cheke,” Senator Alan said. “Kasi ngayon ‘yung mga digital payment [ay] either bayaran ka o hindi. Walang post-dated doon.”
For her part, Senator Pia said lawmakers like her and her brother need to sit down and consider all the necessary steps.
“Bilang mambabatas, job naming isipin ngayon ‘yan [na] ano naman ‘yung mga bagong batas na kailangan naming gawin,” she said.
“Kung dati, ang paniguradong pambayad ay cheke, ngayon naman kung ayaw mo kaagad ng pag-send ng payment, ano ngayon ang transaksyon? — ‘Yan ang mga kailangan namin isipin,” she added.
CIA with BA, which aired its pilot episode on February 5, marks Senator Alan Peter and Senator Pia’s debut outing as on-air legal advisers.
Future shows – airing Sundays at 11:30 p.m. on GMA 7 – will help viewers learn more about the country’s laws and how they affect their daily lives. Watch out for the new episode this coming Sunday, April 30.
Senators Alan and Pia carry on the legacy of their late father and original Compañero of the airwaves Senator Rene Cayetano, who led and co-hosted the popular legal advice program ‘Compañero y Compañera’ on radio and television from 1997 to 2001.
