Lawyers: Anti-Terror bill violates due process

The Anti-Terrorism bill, which allows detention of suspected terrorists from 14 to 24 days without a warrant, violates the people’s right to due process which could make it worst than martial law, lawyers said Wednesday.

Lawyers Antonio Ligon, Rodel Tanton, and Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate made the warning as the Anti-Terrorism bill awaits President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature to become a law.

Ligon said while the Anti-Terrorism bill states that it seeks to protect life, liberty, and property, its provision allowing detention of suspects without a warrant for 14 to 24 days contradicts it.

“Nakalagay na iyong batas ay poproteksyunan ang buhay, kalayaan, at ari-arian. Naroon rin ‘yan sa Saligang Batas.  Ayokong magbintang, pero sa batas na ito, ma-aaresto ka muna bago ka maimbestigahan. Doon pa lang, mababalewala na ang karapatan mo,” he said in a virtual forum.

“Basta pinaghihinalaan ka, mababalewala na ang ibinigay na karapatan sa iyo ng Saligang Batas. Walang due process,” he added.

Ligon then said that the vast discretion of law enforcers and the Anti-Terrorism Council in determining who are the terrorists and those with intent to commit terrorism will be prone to abuse, if not a sequel to the bloody drug war when the identification of drug suspects was left at the discretion of barangay and other local government officials.

“Malamang, ganun ang mangyari katulad sa Tokhang. Basta sinabi ni barangay captain [kung sino ang drug suspect], iyun na. Ang sabi ng pulis, kakatok lang [sa bahay], kaso nanlaban, patay,”  Ligon pointed out.

“Ito sa Anti-Terrorism bill, kahit wala kang involvement sa terorismo, basta may nagsabi na sa direksyon ng pagiging terorista ang sinasabi mo, malalagay na sa bingit ang iyong kalayaan bago ka maimbestigahan,” he added.

Ligon then said that while arrested suspects under the proposed Anti-Terrorism law can seek legal remedy to dispute the allegations, the provision to detain suspects from 14 to 24 days without a warrant makes a legal remedy an afterthought.

“Basta may nagsabi na may intention ka na maging terorista, puwede ka na dakpin. Kung ginawan ka ng fake account at inilagay roon na gusto mo ibagsak ang gobyerno, bago mo ma-prove na fake iyon, 14 to 24 days ka na nakapiit, bago mo mapalabas ang katotohanan,” he said.

“Paninikil iyon ng karapatang pantao,” he added.

Taton agreed with Ligon, saying that the prolonged detention sans warrant is disadvantageous to an ordinary citizen.

“Napakalaki ng resources ng estado laban sa isang indibidwal na walang ganung kalaking makinarya. When there is doubt, chances are, this will lead to abuse on the part of law enforcement,” Taton said.

Zarate, for his part, said the Anti-Terrorism bill is even worst than martial law provided for under the Constitution which only allows detention of suspects of a crime without a warrant for three days.

The Constitution also states that those arrested without a warrant must be charged within that three days because otherwise, suspects must be freed.

“Masahol pa talaga ito sa martial law kasi nga sa martial law na suspended ang writ of habeas corpus, three days lang ang detention. Ito, under normal circumstances, at least 14 days plus 10 days pa,” Zarate, also a lawyer, said.

He then said the removal of the provision penalizing authorities P500,000 per day for detention of an innocent individual on terrorism charges provides terror.

“Kung walang magiging abuso, bakit tinanggal itong parusa na dapat silang magbayad ng daños pag nagpakulong sila ng inosenteng tao?” Zarate added.

But for political analyst and professor Rommel Banlaoi, the bill can be remedied to provide safeguards given the doubt of the public on law enforcers.

“Malaki po talaga ang hamon sa ating law enforcers, given the history sa Tokhang. Kailangan lang pong maiparating sa Presidente ang ugat ng pagtutol; iyong kawalan po ng tiwala sa law enforcement. Pagtulungan po natin ito," Banlaoi said.

“Dahil kahit meron po tayong Revised Penal Code at ibang batas, hindi po ordinary crime ang terrorism. Kailangan po natin ng ibang batas para rito. What we are facing is suicidal terrorism, lone wolf terrorism. We have to address this,” Banlaoi added.—AOL, GMA News