By Hannah Torregoza Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday vowed he will strongly oppose any attempt to resurrect the anti-subversion law that was repealed in 1992. Sen. Franklin Drilon
(Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN) Drilon said he was extremely against the revival of the anti-subversion law, as this will violate basic Constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and association. “I will strongly oppose any attempt to revive the Anti-Subversion Law, in the same manner that I am extremely against the reimposition of the Death Penalty Law,” Drilon said in a statement on Tuesday. Drilon, likewise, questioned the timing of the proposal raised by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). “First, they want Congress to revive the death penalty. Now, they want us to resurrect the anti-subversion law. Is this how we want this Congress to be remembered?” Drilon asked. “We do not want this Congress to be remembered for resurrecting more ‘dead’ laws instead of formulating sound policies that will address the country’s present problems,” the minority chief pointed out. “Mukhang humahaba po yata ang listahan ng mga patay na batas na gusto nating buhayin, (It seems the list of dead laws they want to revive is getting longer),” Drilon quipped. The former justice secretary pointed out that the anti-subversion law was “buried” a long time ago since it was proven that such policy, aside from being prone to abuse and a tool for harassment, “undermined some of our basic Constitutional rights.” Drilon stressed that Article 2, Section 4 of the Constitution states: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” He said the anti-subversion law—which was implemented decades ago until it was repealed in 1992—outlawed mere affiliation with a group, attending a meeting or taking part in any activity meant to overthrow the government. “Mere membership in any organization is not a crime,” Drilon stressed. The veteran lawmaker, likewise, warned that reimposing the Anti-Subversion Law would also violate the equal-protection clause of the Bill of Rights. Drilon said the Constitution was against undue favor and individual or class privilege, as well as hostile discrimination or the oppression of inequality against one class or organization. Drilon pointed out there were enough laws that could help authorities to address terrorism and provide adequate protection to the State, such as the Human Security Act (RA 9372). RA 9372 imposes stiffer penalties to a lengthy list of acts of terrorism. “We should not make it as an excuse to always blame the inefficiencies in our laws, proven or otherwise, for our failure to discharge our duty,” he said. The issue cropped up after DILG Secretary Eduardo Año suggested reviving the anti-subversion law or RA 1700, following reports that some minors have abandoned and disowned their own families after they were recruited by Communist elements. The law was repealed in September 1992 by President Fidel Ramos. He, however, retained sedition as a crime. Año said re-enacting the anti-subversion law would help strengthen the country’s existing anti-terrorism laws, and also complement President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70 which created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.