MANILA – Regulating and monitoring youth’s social media use is not included in the provisions of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Law, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified.
Roque’s statement came after Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay plan to monitor the use of social media to curb the radicalization among the youth.
“Personal na pananaw ‘yun ni General Gapay,” Roque said. “Walang probisyon ang Anti-Terrorism Law na magagamit laban sa social media, ang may sakop diyan ay ang Cybercrime Law.”
Gapay, who formally assumed his post as the 54th AFP chief on Monday, said his office will submit its proposals for the law’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) since his men are in the frontlines in the war against insurgency.
“Because this is the platform now being used by the terrorists to radicalize, to recruit, and even plan terrorist acts. That’s why we need to have to specific provisions of this in the IRR pertaining to regulating the use of social media,” Gapay said in a media briefing.
“(The Anti-Terrorism Act) is proactive and it is geared to prevent the occurrence of terroristic acts. So pinaplano pa lang nila, dapat masa-stop na natin. We will capitalize on that very good aspect of this Anti-Terror law,” he added.
His other suggestions are to enhance intelligence sharing among local and foreign state security forces, closely monitor maritime security to address foreign terrorists slipping into the country’s porous borders, and manage the public’s access to information on making improvised explosive devices.
Gapay’s suggestion will be collated by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who is part of the nine-member Anti-Terrorism Council.
Republic Act 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, signed into law on July 3, has yet to be fully carried out as law enforcers agreed to wait for the IRR for as long as there’s no imminent threat./PN
