MANILA – The controversial Anti-Terorrism Bill is now under “final review.” It has already reached the table of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Presidetial spokesperson Harry Roque revealed.
Medialdea’s office will serve as the last stop of the measure before it reaches the table of President Rodrigo Duterte, according to Roque.
“Ibig sabihin po mayroon nang memorandum recommending a course of action to the President,” Roque said. “Subject to final approval lang po siguro ‘yan ni Executive Secretary at dadalhin na po sa lamesa ni Presidente.”
Duterte still has a week to decide on the anti-terror bill before it lapses into law on July 9. Congress on June 9 transmitted the bill to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr., for his part, said that he expects President Duterte to sign the measure as he has objections in the proposed law.
“I talked to our fellow Cabinet members about it and he (Duterte) said, so far, he has no objections to the provisions of the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act. He also certified it as [a] priority bill,” Esperon said in an interview on CNN Philippines.
“We will leave it to the President because anyway, he has this legal team going through it and the Department of Justice, Secretary Guevarra has given his recommendations and because he’s a lawyer he will also go through it,” he added.
Militant and human rights groups, among others, fear that the Anti-Terrorism Act will be abused and used to go after critics of the government, while Commission on Human Rights called on the bill’s vague definition of terrorism.
Under the anti-terrorism bill, persons who shall threaten to commit terrorism, and those who will propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism shall suffer imprisonment of 12 years.
Suspected persons can be detained for 14 days without a warrant of arrest with an allowable 10-day extension. A 60-day surveillance on suspected terrorists can also be conducted by the police or the military, with an allowable 30-day extension./PN
