AMID NTF-ELCAC OPPOSITION

Lagman defends human rights defenders' protection bill, says security sector consulted

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Tuesday defended the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill amid criticism from the government's anti-insurgency task force, which called it a "grave, vicious, and insidious threat" against democracy.

"The NTF-ELCAC is hallucinating of an increased communist-terrorist menace to be fueled by the approval of the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Act," Lagman said in a statement, referring to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

According to Lagman, NTF-ELCAC's "hyperbolic assault" on the proponents of the bill justifies the enactment of such law.

Lagman is among the authors of the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Act or House Bill 77.

"The NTF-ELCAC's hyperbolic assault of red-tagging the authors and supporters of HB No. 77, as well as authentic HRDs (human rights defenders), is the best argument for the immediate enactment of the law protecting HRDs from the intimidation, harassment, and liquidation by agents of the State," he said.

The veteran lawmaker noted that the security sector, which forms part of the NTF-ELCAC, was consulted on crafting the committee-approved HRD Protection bill.

"The proposed law does not repeal the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Anti-Money Laundering Law and the Terrorism Financing, Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012," Lagman said.

"These statutes remain enforceable in the proper cases with due respect and protection to authentic HRD."

Lagman also said bills identical to HB No. 77 were passed by the House of Representatives on third and final reading during the 17th and 18th Congresses "without any valid opposition from the NTF-ELCAC."

In a statement on Monday, the NTF-ELCAC called on the public to "unequivocally reject" House Bill No. 77 and to "enjoin their District Representatives to junk the said Bill on sight, upon its introduction in the plenary for its Second Reading." —Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA Integrated News