MANILA, Philippines – The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to strengthen the country’s fight against terrorism.
Voting 19-2, the Senate on Wednesday passed the Senate Bill 1083 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 which aims to provide “strong legal backbone to support the country’s criminal justice response to terrorism.”
The measure also seeks to provide law enforcers the much-needed tools to protect the people from terrorism threat and, at the same time, safeguard the rights of those accused of the crime.
“We need a strong legal structure that deals with terrorism to exact accountability, liability and responsibility. Those who have committed, are about to commit, or are supporting those who commit terroristic acts should be prosecuted and penalized accordingly,” Senator Panfilo Lacson, who authored and sponsored the bill, said in a statement.
The measure includes a new section on foreign terrorist fighters to cover Filipino nationals who commit terrorist offenses abroad.
It also introduces provisions penalizing those who will propose, incite, conspire, participate in the planning, training, preparation and facilitation of a terrorist act; as well as those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit members in a terrorist organization.
Under the bill, the penalty of 12 years of imprisonment will be meted by any person who:
- Threaten to commit terrorism
- Propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism
- Shall voluntarily and knowingly join any organization, association or group of persons knowing that such is a terrorist organization
- Found liable as accessory in the commission of terrorism.
The bill also removed the provision on payment of P500,000 damages per day of detention of any person acquitted of terrorism charges. But the number of days a suspected person can be detained without a warrant of arrest is 14 calendar days, extendible by 10 days.
A new provision, designating certain Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) as Anti-Terror Courts, was also introduced to ensure the speedy disposition of cases.
The amendments also provide for the police or the military to conduct a 60-day surveillance on suspected terrorists, which may be lengthened to another non-extendable period of 30 days, provided that they secure a judicial authorization from the Court of Appeals (CA).
Any law enforcement or military personnel found to have violated the rights of the accused persons shall be penalized with imprisonment of 10 years, the senator said.
The measure also mandates the Commission on Human Rights to give the highest priority to the investigation and prosecution of violations of civil and political rights of persons, and shall have the concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute public officials, law enforcers and other persons who may have violated the civil and political rights of suspects and detained persons.
Lacson earlier said that the new anti-terror bill seeks to repeal the existing Human Security Act of 2007, which “did virtually nothing to deter participation in the plotting of terroristic acts.”
But Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan both voted against the bill.
In explaining their “no” vote, Hontiveros and Pangilinan said some provisions of the bill impinge on rights and liberty and are vague and encompassing, making it open to abuse.
Both lawmakers raised concerns over key provisions, particularly the prolonged detention and authority given to the police and military to conduct a 60-day surveillance on suspected terrorists.
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