Anti-terror law provides legal means to protect, defend the people, says AFP spokesperson

The Anti-Terrorism law would provide security forces the legal means to protect and defend the people, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said.

"We are elated to know that the President has signed into law the Anti-terrorism Bill that capacitates government security forces that cause inordinate sufferings of our people, said Major General Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson.

"We now have a powerful statute that provides law enforcement agencies the legal wherewithal to protect and defend our people," he added.

In the same statement, Arevalo said the AFP leadership under General Santos, Jr. thanks President Rodrigo Duterte, the AFP commander-in-chief, "for his resolve in putting public security and general welfare his primordial consideration in enacting the law that specifically targets terrorists."

On Friday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año announced that Duterte has signed the anti-terror bill into law.

The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (Republic Act 11479) was signed even if various groups objected to the measure, including the United Nations human rights body and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

Among the provisions of the law that was criticized is Section 29 on detention without judicial warrant of arrest in which a suspect can be arrested even without a warrant of arrest and detained for up to 24 days.

Several groups, including human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, pledged to raise the constitutionality of the law before the Supreme Court. -- BAP/KG, GMA News