Proposed Anti-Terrorism Law not against activists, says author

PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles on Tuesday denied that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Law is against activists, saying that it only targets terrorists and violent extremists.

Nograles, one of the authors of House Bill 6875, made the remark after groups raised concern over the proposed law, which has been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte, due to its supposedly unconstitutional provisions.

In a virtual interview with reporters, Nograles said that there are safeguards in the measure that will make its implementation more constitutional, contrary to the groups' claims.

"Ang bill na ito ay hindi kontra aktibista. No, we want activism. We promote activism. Ang totoo nga dito ang bill na ito, dahil sa mga aktibista," he said.

"Gusto natin na yung mga aktibista mabigyan ng mga mapayapang paraan para mag-campaign ng mga reforms para sa ating bansa. Pero ang kinakalaban ng ating panukalang batas, ang mga terrorists. Sila ang ating kalaban. And mga violent extremists and mga violent na radical," he added.

Last week, two panels in the House of Representatives adopted Senate Bill 1083 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2019, which seeks to virtually repeal the Human Security Act of 2007 and strengthen the country’s anti-terrorism law.

Various groups have raised concerns on the possibility that the proposed law may be used to stifle dissent against the administration and usher in a series of human rights abuses.

Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares, for one, took a swipe over a provision in the measure that supposedly empowers the police and the military to arrest a person without charges for 14 to 24 days.

He pointed out that according to the Constitution, "at the most" when the writ of habeas corpus is suspended, a detained person should be charged within three days. Otherwise, he or she should be set free.

"Unconstitutional siya in the sense na pinalampas niya sa three days as required by the Constitution ang pagkakulong mo," Colmenares said.

"Kung wala ka pang ebidensya, huwag kang manghuli. Huwag yung hulihin mo tapos maghahanap ka ng ebidensya. Kasuhan mo kapag nahuli mo kesa i-detain mo for 24 days," he added.

But Nograles said that under normal circumstances, there is no suspension of the writ of habeas corpus.

"Dahil hindi suspendido ang writ of habeas corpus, isinasabatas natin na during these times, 'yung mga tao na suspected of wanting to commit or meron talagang actual plan na mag-commit ng terrorism dito sa ating bansa or sa labas ng ating bansa na ginagamit ang bansa natin bilang headquarters, ay pwede nating ma-detain," he said.

"Pero yung detention na ito ay hindi yung katakot-takot na detention na bigla-biglang mawawala sa mundo," he added.

At the same time, there are safeguards set under the measure when a person suspected of committing terrorism is detain, Nograles said.

For one, he said, the nearest trial court should be informed that a person has been detained for suspected or actual acts of terrorism, and that the detained person should be given a counsel.

"Kung meron siyang abogado, dapat may access siya, kung wala siyang abogado, bibigyan siya ng public attorney," he added.

Nograles said that with the certification of urgency from the President, the measure can be swiftly taken up in the plenary.

"Malaking bagay na na-certify ng Pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas na urgent ang ating panukalang batas. At ang expectation natin ay mabilisan ito na mai-take up sa plenary at magkakaroon ng mahabang debate dito sa ating bill," he said. — BM, GMA News