Nothing in anti-terrorism bill that warrants President's veto –Panelo

Presidential chief legal adviser Salvador Panelo sees no single provision in the controversial new anti-terrorism bill that deserves to be vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview on Sunday, Panelo said the President, being a keen and strict lawyer that he is, would surely veto provisions in the bill if there are portions that go against other laws.

"Si Presidente, abogado. Hindi lang siya ordinaryong abogado, abogado de kampanilla sa publiko yan dahil prosecutor yan for so many years. So masinop yan, masyadong strikto yan. Kita mo naman, nakakita lang siya ng labag sa batas doon sa budget, vineto niya," he said.

"Kung makita ni Presidente yan na may paglabag, siguradong ibe-veto. Pero wala e, sinuyod namin e, sinuyod ko personally," he added.

The new anti-terrorism bill is now up for Duterte's action after it was approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives earlier this month.

Prior to this, the House Committees on Public Order and Safety and on National Defense and Security adopted the Senate's version of the measure, which has been approved on third and final reading last February.

Concerns have been raised that the proposed measure might be used to target individuals that expressed dissent against the government.

Panelo, however, reiterated that the measure did not come from the President. At the same time, he said that all the provisions stated in the United Nations Security Council resolution urging member-states to ramp up their anti-terrorism policies are included in the bill.

"Kung ano ang definition ng United Nations, kung ano ang mga nilagay doon sa resolution, nandiyan lahat. Kaya hindi pwedeng sabihin na gawa-gawa lang yan," Panelo said.

"Unang-una, hindi nga inisyatibo ni Presidente yan e. Yan ay inisyatibo diyan sa Senado, nila [Senator] Lacson, kasi sila ang mga magagaling na lumaban diyan. Kaya alam nila yan," he added.

Panelo stressed the need for a stronger anti-terrorism law in the Philippines, despite the COVID-19 health threat.

"Sinasabi nila (critics) kung kailan pa may pandemic. E lalo ngang delikado, may pandemic tayo, baka hindi tayo ready sa mga attack ng terorista. Yung terorismo, hindi namimili ng oras, ng lugar, ng panahon, kaya kailangan lagi tayong handa," he said.

He said critics are welcome to question the legality of the bill once it is enacted into law, although he believes that the measure will "pass the constitutional test."

Now that the measure is up for the President's action, Duterte has the option to sign it into law, veto it, or not do anything for 30 days and just allow it to automatically lapse into law. —LBG, GMA News