Solon denies anti-terror law amendments prioritized over COVID-19 response

PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles on Tuesday denied that the House of Representatives prioritized the passage of the proposed amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Law over other measures to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

In a virtual interview with reporters, Nograles, one of the authors of House Bill 6875, pointed out that the House has spent much time to deliberate and approve COVID-19 related measures.

These, he said, include the measure mandating pooled baseline Polymerase Chain Reaction testing as the protocol for COVID-19 testing for the vulnerable sectors, as well sa the P1.3-trillion stimulus bill to address the economic impact of the crisis, both of which have already been approved on second reading.

Nograles also said that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Law has filed in Congress since seven years ago, and it went through five public hearings during the 18th Congress alone.

"So hindi talaga tayo nagkukulang pagdating sa mga panukalang batas pagdating sa COVID-19," he said.

"At hindi dapat i-compare itong national security, na inuuna natin ang national security as compared yung mga problema natin sa COVID-19. I think that's an unfair comparison, even begging into a logical fallacy already," 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 also opposed the measure, saying that moves to approve it are untimely considering the more urgent COVID-19 crisis.

Nograles, however, said he agrees that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Law should be certified as urgent.

He said that the International Financial Task Force, which manages the flow of money between nations and economies, has set an October deadline for Congress to approve very strong laws against terrorist financing and to identify terrorist individuals and groups.

"Ang penalty ng [International Financial Task Force] na ito kung hindi natin maipasa ay mage-greylist ang Pilipinas and the effect of this is that yung peg-remit ng ating mga OFW ng pera sa mga pamilya nila ay made-delay," he said.

"Kung dati, mga tatlong araw nandyan na, siguro aabot na ng pisang buwan bago dumating yung pera padala ng rating mga OFW," he added.

At the same time, Nograles said being in the greylist would make the country less attractive for trade.

"We kind of need trade now with the latest GDP going on the negative. Trade is something that we don't want to lose. And if we don't pass this in time, we will actually accelerate the shrinking of our economy and even jeopardize the OFWs remittance to the families here," he added.

The House of Representatives is currently conducting plenary deliberations on the proposed Anti-Terrorism Law. -NB, GMA News