DOJ comments on anti-terror bill sent to Palace

The Department of Justice has sent its comments on the anti-terrorism bill to Malacanang.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the department's submission was on its way to the Office of the President on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier, Guevarra said the DOJ had "scrutinized the enrolled bill line by line and analyzed the substance of each provision in relation to the whole, always keeping in mind for whom and against whom the anti-terror bill was crafted."

He said the department would focus its comments on the "more significant provisions" of the bill.

"To the extent possible, we have considered the operational needs of the government in dealing with terrorism as well as our international commitments, without losing sight of the legal and constitutional parameters within which all state actions should be circumscribed," he said.

The bill is up for Duterte's signature after it was passed by both chambers of Congress this year.

Critics of the bill have said some of its provisions are unconstitutional and may be used by the government to go after activists. Retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio has said the Philippines will be in a situation "worse than martial law" if it becomes law.

PBA party-list Representative Jericho Nograles, an author of the bill, said the proposed law was not against activists and only targeted terrorists and violent extremists. -NB, GMA News