Robredo slams passage of ‘dangerous’ measure

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday continued to criticize the passage of the “dangerous” anti-terrorism bill in Congress.

In her weekly program over radio station dzXL, Robredo said the “railroading” of the measure at the House of Representatives was “appalling.”

“The spaces for abuse are really serious, that’s why we are strongly opposing it,” she said. “This (bill) was not just inserted, but forced.”

The Vice President, a former Camarines Sur representative, said the House failed to include proposed amendments made by some lawmakers, and instead adopted the Senate version of the measure.

“We saw the statements of some authors at the House of Representatives why they withdrew their support; it’s because (Congress) didn’t want to accept amendments,” she said. “And different voices are the essence of a democracy.”

The anti-terror bill was filed in Congress in 2017 after the Marawi siege, according to Robredo.

She said the inputs made by experts and resource persons during House deliberations “all of a sudden became immaterial.”

The Vice President cited alarming two provisions under the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

“If you read the proposed law, there are many dangerous provisions. One of these is that they expanded the definition of terrorism,” she said.

A human rights lawyer, Robredo added that the provision penalizing law enforcement officers who commit wrongful arrest, which was part of the Human Security Act of 2007, was not included in the proposed law.

“That was removed, which means (they) can arrest even without a basis,” she said.

In an interview with radio station dzBB yesterday, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said Congress could still review the controversial law before it is forwarded to President Duterte for signing.

Lagman cited the instances when Senate President Vicente Sotto III questioned the General Appropriations Act of 2019 due to alleged budget insertions by some members of the House and the House’s recalling of the passage of the Road Board bill in 2018.

“There are precedents that can be used while (the measure) is not yet being transmitted to Malacañang,” he said.

Inhuman, unlawful

For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA), the anti-terrorism bill passed by Congress is inhuman and unlawful.

The CBCP’s social-arm opposed the implementation of the measure recently passed by both houses of Congress.

In a statement, CBCP-NASSA national director Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said the bill blurred the lines of dissent and opposition with terrorism.

“If all the powerful in government can label anyone a terrorist, what else can they not do? Activism is not terrorism,” Bagaforo said.

“We cannot let this happen. This is not only intolerable; this is inhuman, unjust and unlawful. Thus, we urge everyone to register opposition against the bill, which, to our firm belief, will further re-enforce tyranny and totalitarianism,” he added.

The CBCP-NASSA condemns in the strongest terms the blatant maneuvering of the legislative processes and the rule of law to suppress legitimate dissent, and to criminalize or to arbitrarily brand as terrorists those who are perceived to be opposing the administration, according to the prelate.

“We denounce the obvious circumvention of the democratic processes just to obey and please the self-interests of the legislators and the autocratic rule of the President,” he said.

Bagaforo said Filipinos should let the country’s leaders in the executive and legislative branches of government know their sentiments after the bill was prioritized and certified “urgent” by the President over addressing the COVID-19 crisis, which has so far resulted in the death of 1,003 people and infected 21,895 people in the country.

He added that the government should find solutions to the pandemic and not pass measures that would curtail the democratic rights of Filipinos.

“The anti-terror bill violates the rights of our people and makes a mockery of our Constitution,” he said.

The prelate also expressed hope that once the constitutionality of the bill is filed before the Supreme Court, “our honorable justices will exhibit sense of fairness, impartiality and trustworthiness.”

“They must live up to their being the last pillars of democracy and rule of law in our country,” he said. Evelyn Macairan, Mayen Jaymalin, Gilbert Bayoran