PASSAGE OF THE ANTI-TERRO LAW.

“He who strikes terror into others is himself in continual fear”

In early June 2020, a move that surprised many, when amidst the
Covid 19 pandemic challenges, President Duterte certified as urgent
the Anti-Terror Act of 2020. The law has triggered street protest
despite the community quarantine restrictions that was imposed
amidst of the coronavirus outbreak.

I have this same question, on why this law was given importance
while the number of Covid19 infected Filipinos are increasing day by
day, how is this going to address the crumbling health care system that
our country has been suffering for decades in the dark now being
completely exposed.

Upon reading various articles about the Anti-Terror law, also

keeping my tabs to the comments of personalities in both politics and
academe who have their respective stand on the said law, I was
exposed to the Pros and Cons of such. Being an ordinary citizen, with
only a minimal knowledge on how to interpret law, since I was not a
law student back then when the clamor on the said law was at its peak.
The only way that I can understand such was to read the comments,
Facebook and Instagram posts that explained in layman’s term the
legal implications of the law, I also asked my office mates and my
superior at work who are law students while majority of them are
already lawyers.

However, those were their opinion and interpretation, I agreed

to some but some made my left eyebrow raised. My main question
was, “What makes the Anti-Terror Law so controversial that there is
clamor everywhere? “I was presented with these facts: 1. The Anti-
Terror Law of 2020 amends the definition of terrorism in the Human
Security Act of 2007, which expands the definition of terrorism to
include acts intended to cause "death or serious bodily injury to any
person," "extensive damage and destruction" to a government facility,
private property or critical infrastructure and when the purpose of
those acts is to "intimidate [the] general public," "create an atmosphere
or message of fear," or "seriously destabilize or destroy the
fundamental political, economic and social structures of the country."
Those found guilty face life sentences without the chance of parole.

The law also criminalizes the "threat, planning, training,

facilitating of" and "proposal" and "inciting" to terrorist activities by
means of speeches, proclamations, writings, banners and emblems. It
also subjects suspects to surveillance, warrantless arrest and detention
for up to 24 days. In addition, it removes compensation for the suspect
in the event of acquittal and boosts the Anti-Terrorism Council, the
implementer of the law, whose members are appointed by the
President. According to one of my colleagues, the scariest part there is
a person being guilty until proven otherwise which is a big violation
of human rights, especially that what our constitution aims for due
process and adapt the principle – Innocent until proven otherwise.

According to the Philippine Commission on Human Rights, the

broad definition of terrorism in the law, paves the road for possible
abuse. With our country since our we have a long list of historic events
that highlights the abuse of power, especially the police power
towards its citizens.

Now, that I am a Law student, the law of the land in slowly

unraveling itself in front of my eyes, I was able to read provisions and
cases that exposes me to the realities of our country on the legal
aspects, oh how the law can be a tool of justice but also a tool to
suppress the rights of its citizen. The Law is so powerful that it is
overwhelming yet covers the life, liberty and freedom of every
recipient of such, but in this trying times especially that Covid19 is
here to stay for an indefinite period of time since no vaccine is yet
available to our country and our economy is not improving, I guess
the government should give more priorities to those aspects especially
that we are a Third world country and admittingly lack the money and
resources, we should be focusing our attention there and not just to
protect someone’s ego from getting bruised.