GMA analyst Heydarian’s take on the Anti-Terrorism Bill

House Bill 6875 that seeks to amend the Human Security Act of 2007 has been at the center of debates in recent days, with the hashtag #JunkTerrorBill even trending on Twitter.

In February this year, the Senate approved on the third and final reading a bill that aims to strengthen the country’s anti-terrorism law. 

A House joint committee reportedly adopted the Senate version.

President Rodrigo Duterte has also certified the bill as urgent as the country grapples with the coronavirus threat. 

Some lawyers said the bill could erode human rights and worsen impunity in the country, while a government official argued that such statements have no basis. 

GMA Network’s resident political analyst Richard Heydarian explained that there are five main elements to the anti-terrorism bill:

• engaging in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person, endangering a person’s life;
• engaging in acts intended to cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or public facility, place, or property;
• engaging in acts intended to cause extensive interference with, damage, or destruction to critical infrastructure;
• developing, manufacturing, possessing, acquiring, transporting, supplying, or using weapons, explosives, or of biological, nuclear, radiological, or chemical weapons; and
• releasing of dangerous substances or causing fire, floods, or explosions.

“In short, hindi lang ito about acts of terrorism against innocent civilians, which is how terrorism is understood around the world, but also attacks on critical infrastructure and important public facilities… So medyo broad ‘yung definition na ito,” Heydarian said.

The analyst also noted that some critics said the implementation of the law is the real concern, regardless of the good intentions behind the bill.

“Because after all, even the best laws could be abused and weaponized by those who want to shut down opposition and critics,” Heydarian said.

Watch Heydarian’s analysis on Stand for Truth’s Monday episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KuOKLJK3Z8  —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News