THE Makabayan bloc has filed a Bill seeking the repeal of the anti-terror law, saying its broad definition could lead to abuse and misuse of power on citizens and the media.
Kabataan Rep Raoul Manuel, Gabriela Rep Arlene Brosas, and ACT Teachers Rep France Castro said the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 or the Republic Act 11479 contradicted the human rights treaties and agreements entered into by the country.
“Two years into the Terror Law’s enactment since July 3, 2020, Kabataan views mounting cases of state agents weaponising the law to threaten and imprison innocent civilians on top of producing dubious terror-tagging proscription lists as vindication of initial fears of petitioners and many Filipino citizens. Congress should take action immediately,” Kabataan said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Opposition lawmakers also claimed that the measure authorised state authorities to punish mere “intent” and not just “criminal act”, or acting on mere suspicion in criminalising dissent.
Under the Bill, the Anti-Terrorism Council’s power to designate a person or a group as a terrorist could result in “terrorist tagging” and arbitrary detention, citing the deaths of activists Zara Alvarez and Randy Echanis, who were tagged as terrorists.
It also said that the law posed a “chilling effect” to media and civil groups, which act as instruments that keep the government in check-in times of “abuse of power”. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
