Lorenzana welcomes House panels' OK of bill strengthening gov't anti-terror efforts

The Department of National Defense on Saturday welcomed the approval by two House committees of a proposed measure  seen to strengthen the government's anti-terrorism efforts.

In a statement, DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana stressed the importance of the proposed bill since "the Human Security Act of 2007 is no longer responsive to the evolving nature of the threats we face."

On Friday, reports said that the House Committees on Public Order and Safety and on Defense and Security jointly voted to adopt a Senate bill effectively repealing the HSA of 2007 and approved a House substitute bill based on it.

In August 2019, Lorenzana described the HSA of 2007 as "toothless" and "unhelpful," saying he would recommend the lifting of martial law then in place in Mindanao only if the HSA would be amended.

Martial law in Mindanao eventually expired on 11:59 p.m. of December 31, 2019.

President Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao in May 2017 when government forces and Maute group bandits clashed.

Government authorities were trying to serve arrest warrants against bandit leader Isnilon Hapilon when violence erupted.

The bandits attacked Marawi City, taking hostages, destroying communities, killing non-Muslims and battling government troops with relentless sniper fire for five months. -MDM, GMA News