Activists renew debate on anti-terrorism laws

For John Rey Luciano of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) proposal to pass a law against “nihilist violent extremism” is just as “dangerous and absurd” as the country’s anti-terrorism law.

“This is something that we should be wary of … especially as this proposal by the DOJ … treats the children as the enemy when it should be the one looking after them,” the student leader told the Inquirer in an interview.

Luciano and the leaders of other student groups, as well as the groups Karapatan, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and National Union of People’s Lawyers, echoed the same message as they rallied in front of the DOJ on Friday to demand the repeal of the country’s anti-terror laws.

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Brell Lacerna, spokesperson of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, said that “proposing a sham counterterrorism measure that has failed for years would not resolve the current crisis that children are facing.”

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He stressed that the issue should also raise questions on other policies, such as the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act, that have allowed the silencing of critics and political dissent.

Reviving the debate

Although the Supreme Court has affirmed the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (Republic Act No. 11479) and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 (RA 10168), activists continue to assail the laws even after 14 years.

Based on its monitoring from the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act in July 2020 to July this year, Karapatan noted nearly 300 activists and human rights defenders who have been “victimized” by anti-terror laws, including those charged, those branded “terrorist” and those who have been killed or remain missing. INQ

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