Criticism not a crime under new anti-terror law — Palace

Only terrorists will feel anxious about the country’s new anti-terror law, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said that those who think the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 threatens human rights probably support terrorists.

“I will phrase it differently: terrorists, beware of the anti-terror law,” Roque said in a televised briefing.

“Pero ‘yung mga hindi naman po terorista, huwag po kayong mag-alala, sapat sapat po ang mga safeguards sa batas mismo at sa ating umiiral na Rules of Court para pangalagaan po ang karapatan ng kalayaan at karapatang mabuhay.”

Roque also said that criticism is not a crime under the new law, which was immediately challenged before the Supreme Court over alleged constitutional infirmities.

“It is expressly provided in the law that it is not,” he said. “The law is written in the context of our existing jurisprudence saying that free speech can only be curtailed if there is a clear and present danger.”

A former military chief, Esperon reiterated on Sunday that the law does not target activists and dissenters, citing Section 4, which does not include advocacy, protest, dissent, stoppage of work, industrial or mass action and other similar exercises of civil and political rights as acts of terrorism.

However, these actions should not be intended to cause death or serious physical harm to a person, to endanger a person’s life or to create a serious risk to public safety.

“So anong sinasabi nila na mawawalan ng human rights? Palagay ko ‘yung mga nagsasabi niyan, ‘yung mga supporter ng mga terorista,” Esperon said.

Government officials also said there were enough safeguards in the law to prevent abuse. — RSJ, GMA News