Petition to declare CPP, NPA as terror groups triggered criticisms vs. anti-terror law -Lacson

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday said the pending petition of the government to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) as a terrorist organization may have been a trigger for some critics of the controversial anti-terror bill which he authored.

"Ngayon may naka-pending na proscription case versus NPA. Naintindihan ko naman ang ibang kasamahan natin—hindi sila sabihin nating sympathizer—pero aminin natin sympathetic sila sa cause ng NPA," Lacson said in a radio interview.

"Siguro naalala nila kung na-proscribe ang NPA, kasi pati 'yan ginalaw natin ang pag-proscribe, binago natin sa bill na ito, binigyan natin ang korte ng authority magbigay ng preliminary proscription order," he added.

The Manila Regional Trial Court has junked but revived in February a petition seeking a judicial declaration of the CPP's armed wing as a terrorist organization.

The said petition was filed in 2018, months after President Rodrigo Duterte terminated peace talks with the communist group and declared through a proclamation that the CPP-NPA was a terrorist organization.

Under Section 26 of the proposed measure, any group of persons, organization, or association, which commits any of the acts defined and penalized by its provisions—upon application of the DOJ before the authorizing division of the Court of Appeals, with due notice and opportunity to be heard given to the group of persons, organization or association—may be declared as terrorists by the said Court through issuance of a preliminary proscription order.

"Within 20 days kailangan mag-decide ang court kung gagawing permanent, o idi-dismiss, o tatanggalin ang preliminary proscription. Binigyan natin ng lawig na six months na kailangan magkaroon ng decision. Kailangan proscribe itong organization o hindi," Lacson explained.

Lacson said those who share the cause of the NPA need not fear the proposed law.

"Hindi porke’t ang terrorist org ay proscribed na, lahat na member aarestuhin. Hindi ganoon. May due process pa rin yan. Ipo-prove pa rin ng DOJ o PNP o military na si Pedro dela Cruz talagang bona fide member ng NPA, mag-produce sila ng ebidensya roon. Di pwedeng dampot ng dampot," he said.

"Kaya huwag mag-alala ang mga kaibigan natin sa progressive bloc, hindi sila madadampot dito puwera pag may ebidensyang nagbibigay sila ng tulong, nag-supply sila ng explosives, nagbigay ng armas, sila mismo nag-i-incite, hindi ganoon. So huwag sila mag-alala," he added.

Various groups have expressed opposition to the anti-terror bill, pointing out it could be used to silence critics of the administration.

"This measure goes beyond the PRRD administration. Pangalawa maski wala tayong anti-terrorism act na ganito ang nilalaman, pwede pa rin mag-abuso ang pulis. Nakita natin si Ragos, nakita natin ang pinasok sa bahay dahil sa illegal drug operations. So huwag nila sisihin ang anti-terror bill kasi maski wala ito, [nandiyan] ang abuso at meron tayong karampatang batas na magpaparusa sa pulis," Lacson said.

The bill is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature after the House adopted and approved the Senate's version.

Retired senior associate justice Antonio Carpio said the anti-terrorism bill may immediately be challenged before the Supreme Court once it is signed into law. -NB, GMA News