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| Filipino community groups in HK have vowed to keep protesting against the anti-terror law |
Critics of the anti-terrorism bill which was signed into law
by President Rodrigo Duterte late on Jul 3, have vowed to continue their
opposition to the highly unpopular measure, including Filipino community
leaders in Hong Kong .
The new law
which takes effect after its publication in the Official Gazette, gives the
president, through an anti-terrorism council, vast powers to identify
individuals or groups as “terrorists” and have them detained for up to 24 days
without charges.
Those found
guilty of the crime of terrorism face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment
without parole.
But the
grim prospect of being arrested and prosecuted for the offense has not cowed
critics of the new law, including migrant leaders in Hong
Kong .
“Laban lang tayo, pagkatapos ng dilim may liwanag,” said
Dolores Balladares, one of the convenors of the Filipino Community in Hong Kong
Against the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
Balladares said the group will hold another rally this
Sunday, Jul 5, to show its disgust at the passing of what they have dubbed as
the “Terror Bill.”
“Sa halip na matakot, lalong lalakas ang diwa ng paglaban.
Walang forever, may hangganan din ang kapangyarihan ni Duterte. Sa huli mamamayan
pa rin ang magpapasya sa dapat nilang kalagyan,” Balladares said.
In the Philippines
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| Game not over yet, says Pangilinan |
Senator
Francis Pangilinan denounced Duterte’s signing of the law, but said it came as
no surprise given what he called the administration’s “draconian” and
“authoritarian brand of leadership.
“From the murderous drug war to the longest martial law in
Mindanao to the longest lockdown in the world, and now to the anti-terror law…hindi
pa tapos ang boksing. Hindi pa tapos ang laban,” said Pangilinan.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, who along with Pangilinan was the
only other senator who opposed the bill, said it was clear from its signing
that the administration’s priority is not the health of the Filipnos but to
kill the people’s freedom.
“While the country’s
Covid-19 cases have gone past 40,000 and while 7.3 million Filipinos have lost
their jobs and livelihood, Malacañang has instead signed the Anti-Terrorism Law
that it will use to trample on Filipinos’ basic rights and freedoms,” she said
in a statement.
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| Tinghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love |
(But we will not be silenced. Our voices will be much louder
to protest this oppression on our freedom. They will hear the people sing).
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| They will hear the people sing, says Hontiveros |
In the lower house, Rep. Carlos Zarate of Bayan Muna said:
“We will show them that in the face of repression, an awakened people will
resist and fight back.”
They were joined by various human rights campaigners,
lawyers, media personalities and celebrities in denouncing the new law.
Various groups, including one led by retired Supreme Court
Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, have vowed to challenge the law in court for being
unconstitutional.
On the other hand, Senator Panfilo Lacson, who was one of
the principal authors of the bill, said: “I cannot imagine this measure being
signed under another administration. If only for this, I take my hat off to the
president.”
Lacson vowed to exert extra effort in guarding against any
possible abuse in the law’s implementation.
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| Lacson praised Duterte for signing the bill |
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he was glad the
president “sifted through the rubble and saw the importance of the law.”
Another administration senator, Francis Tolentino, called
the new law “very timely and historic.”
The anti-terror bill had been before the Senate since 2018,
but was approved on its third and final reading on Feb. 26 by a vote of 19-2,
with Pangilinan and Hontiveros casting the only dissenting votes.
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| Pindutin para sa latest Winners! |
Even as some congressmen withdrew their votes in favor of
the bill eventually, the leaders of both the House and the Senate submitted the
bill for Duterte’s signature on Jun 9. If he did not sign it, the bill would
have lapsed into law after a month, or by Jul 9.
Last night in Hong Kong, the Filcom group opposed to the
bill held an online forum with Rep. Zarate, noted human rights lawyer Manuel
“Chel” Diokno, and Bishop Reuel Marigza, general secretary of the United Church
of Christ in the Philippines
All the speakers told the forum participants that opposing
the bill was the right thing to do as it was unconstitutional, dangerous, and
anti-God.
The new Anti-Terrorism Law replaces the Human Security Act
of 2007 and aims to punish those who will propose, incite, conspire, and
participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a
terrorist act.
Likewise punished will be those who will provide material
support to terrorists and recruit members in a terrorist organization.
Diokno assailed the unclear definition of terrorism under
the law, and the unbridled power given to the executive to identify so-called
terrorists and keep them in custody far longer that the three days allowed under
the Philippine Constitution.
He also rejected claims by some of the bill’s supporters, in
particular Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, that those labeled as terrorists can only be
arrested under a warrant issued by the court.
The human rights lawyer said the law is clear that the
anti-terrorism council has the sole power to authorize law enforcers to arrest
anyone suspected as being a terrorist, and hold them without charges for 14
days, extendible for a further 10 days.
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| The 3 speakers at the Filcom forum in HK called on Filipinos to continue opposing the oppressive law |
Zarate called on all Filipinos to oppose the passage of the
bill, and if they fail, support the legal challenge that will be filed in the
Supreme Court against it, as well as any legislative steps that will be pursued
to amend or repeal the new law.
At the same time, he said an education campaign should be
pursued to inform other Filipinos about the dangers contained in the new law,
and if all else fails, continue protesting against it in all fora.
“Nasa ating kamay ang tunay na pagbabago,” he said.
(Real change is in our hands)
Bishop Marigza concurred, and quoted the Constitution:
“Sovereignty resides in the people, and all government authority emanates from
them.”
He also called on Filipinos to continue fighting for what is
right, and said prayer should always be accompanied by action.
“Sana tayong mga kumikilos
ngayon, kung hindi man ngayon, sana
(“Hopefully those of us taking action now, if not today,
hopefully in future, the ones who will come after us our children, will no
longer suffer.”)
Diokno said that he never lost faith in the Filipinos’
ability to triumph over adversity.
“You can never underestimate the power of the people’s
spirit,” he said. “Parang dilim lang ng gabi yan, darating din ang liwanag”.
(That’s just like darkness during the night, the light will
come out eventually).
