Pangilinan doubts Duterte will veto anti-terror bill

Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan on Wednesday is not keeping his hopes up that President Rodrigo Duterte would veto the controversial anti-terror bill which has already been transmitted to Malacañang.

"I doubt very much that there will be any changes, and this bill will become law," Pangilinan said in an interview on ANC.

He said his doubt is based on the recent pronouncement of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that Duterte agrees with Senator Panfilo Lacson that "there is a need for the law."

"That's why the next step is how do we contest, how do we oppose? Of course, our legal remedies would be to bring the matter to the Supreme Court," he added.

Pangilinan explained he voted against the measure during the Senate's third and final reading in February because of certain provisions that he believes are prone to abuse.

He said these include the period of detention which was prolonged to up to 24 days, the warrantless arrest which may be authorized by the Anti-Terrorism Council, and the court's issuance of a preliminary proscription order against suspected persons or organizations.

"Given the authoritarian bend of the current administration, you have Leila De Lima jailed on the basis of testimonies of convicted drug lords, you have Supreme Court Justice Lourdes Sereno ousted, and you have 6,000 killed at nanlaban daw [sa] police encounter," Pangilinan said.

"When these excesses are happening, who is to be confident na this law will not be abused or used to go after critics? Sabi nga nila yung 6,000 na police encounter doon sa drug war nanlaban daw lahat 'yun, eh di pag nakulong ang isang [suspect] ng 24 days dito sa anti-terror law, ang dali-dali sabihin na 'Nanlaban eh, kaya pinatay namin.' 'Yun ang nakakatakot," he added.

The Palace, on the other hand, assured the public that Duterte will further scrutinize the bill before deciding on whether to sign it into law.

"Let's just say that the public interest on the bill will make the President review the provisions of the bill even more closer," Roque said in a separate interview.

The Senate's version of the controversial bill has been adopted and approved by the House of Representatives after Duterte certified the measure as urgent.—AOL, GMA News