REP. Roilo Golez (Ind, Parañaque) yesterday withdrew his authorship of the anti-terrorism bill after he found in the approved version that it covers the political opposition and rallyists.
"I’m one of the principal authors of the bill but I never contemplated it to cover the political opposition and rallyists. I meant it to address vicious, hard core terrorists that blow up buildings, etc. and commit mass murder," he added.
He cited the statements of justice committee chair Simeon Datu-manong (Lakas, Maguindanao) that "if rallies would result in panic to the public, then it would fall under the acts of terrorism."
Golez also quoted House majority leader Prospero Nograles as saying that those who have bad intentions, or "something to fear about destabilizing the government," should fear the anti-terrorism law.
"It now appears that the anti-terrorism law bill is being fast-tracked not just to address international terrorism but as a draconian measure against the legitimate political opposition. If passed, it would allow the government to charge rallyists, especially leaders, with terrorism on the pretext of causing panic," Golez said.
The House committees on justice and foreign affairs on Tuesday approved the anti-terrorism bill.
This is not good.
More from PCIJ: Passage of anti-terror law being ‘railroaded’ to target political dissenters, warn solons, lawyers
Opposition congressmen and lawyers have criticized the said definition as vague and broad that any group can be declared a terrorist organization.
"We are all against terorrism," said Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III. "But we don’t need a law that is being used to cover up for the incompetence of our intelligence agencies and to suppress legitimate dissent and the legitimate opposition." The law’s net effect, he said, is the trashing of the Bill of Rights.
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