DOJ chief Guevarra welcomes petitions vs. anti-terror law

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said he welcomes the filing of petitions against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 before the Supreme Court (SC).

"The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of all constitutional issues raised against the anti-terrorism law," Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

"The court's ruling will also guide the DOJ (Department of Justice) and the ATC (Anti-Terrorism Council) in the preparation of the implementing rules and regulations of the law," he said.

Lawyers and lawmakers have challenged the constitutionality of the new law in four separate petitions as of Monday. More groups, including the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers and retired SC justice Antonio Carpio, are expected to file their own.

The DOJ gave its comments to Malacañang on what was then the anti-terrorism bill before President Rodrigo Duterte signed the measure into law. The DOJ's position has not been publicly disclosed.

Under the law, the DOJ chief is a member of the Anti-Terrorism Council, a body composed of executive officials which critics say has the power to authorize arrests, in violation of the Constitution that allows only judges to issue arrest warrants.

This supposed power of the council, the up-to-24-day detention period of terrorism suspects before they have to be charged in court, and the allegedly vague and broad definition of terrorism are among the law's provisions that the petitioners have asked the SC to strike down.

All four petitions asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order that would prevent the law from being enforced while the cases are pending.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who authored the bill at the Senate, said last Saturday that he was confident the law could withstand scrutiny.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, said he believes the SC will not be intimidated by the number of petitions. —KBK, GMA News