By Mario Casayuran Senator Panfilo M. Lacson is not taking it against his colleagues – opposition Senators Francis N. Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros – for voting “no” to his Anti-Terror Bill (ATB) despite having accepted their amendments to the measure during his Senate public hearings. Senate Panfilo Lacson
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Lacson diplomatically took the public attacks of Pangilinan and Hontiveros on his ATB by saying, “that’s part of democracy in the Senate.” “Pero ok lang yan, that’s part of democracy sa Senado. Walang dapat ipangamba. Kasi ang aim ng Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is to secure the state and protect the people from terrorist acts. Kasi gusto ba natin na ang sinasabi bakit timing, may pandemic (That’s ok, that’s part of democracy in the Senate. There is nothing to fear. The aim of the ATB of 2020 is to secure the state and protect the people from terrorist acts. Who is to know that the coronavirus disease would overtake the passage of the measure)?” he said. But Lacson laments negative comments of critics after the bill was passed. “At nariyan ang kanilang representative si Sen Risa ang daming pinasok na amendments, siya ang nagpasok ng amendments isama ang CHR na maimpormahan. At tinanggap ko yan. Very generous nga ako, very accommodating ako bilang sponsor sa pagtanggap ng kanilang mga proposed amendments. So bakit hanggang ngayon tuligsa sila ng tuligsa ngayong maipapasa na? Samantalang nang may panahon pwede nila express ang kanilang position and opinion, dapat noon sila nagsagawa ng kanilang position paper. Hindi namin dinidisregard (The opposition’s representative is Risa Hontiveros who had her many amendments. She was able to introduce an amendment that the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) be informed immediately of an arrest made. I accepted that. I was very generous and accommodating in their proposed amendments. So why are they questioning it now that the Senate has passed it? They were able to express their opinions and positions. They should have their own position paper. We did not disregard them),” he added. Lacson waved off as “having basis” the statement of human rights advocate Chel Diokno that the ATB would endanger basic rights. “Unang-una, sabi ko ang Bill of Rights nariyan pa rin. Walang lumampas sa Bill of Rights na enumeration ng rights na nakalista sa ating Saligang Batas. Walang lumampas doon. It’s within the bounds of the Bill of Rights (In the first place, the Bill of Rights is there. There was no overreaching the Bill of Rights whose enumeration of rights is listed in the Constitution),” he said. Lacson said his Senate national defense and security committee undertook public hearings since late last year and that members of the progressive bloc were invited as resource persons, including “the likes of Chel Diokno and Human Rights advocates but they did not appear.” “I think at least twice namin sila pinadala ng invitation. Ang CHR nagpunta si Commissioner Gana. Hiningi namin ang kanilang position. Ang academe, UP professors, study group nila, inimbitahan namin dito at nagpahayag sila. Wala silang sinabing mahigpit na pagtutol. Even CHR nag-input lang sila. Kaya naisip namin sa pag-arrest at i-detain 14 days reglamentary period, isa sa unang pasasabihan ang CHR (I think we sent the invitations to them twice. CHR Commissioner Gana went to the Senate committee hearing. We asked for their positions. The academe, University of the Philippines professors, their study groups were invited and they expounded on their views. They did not object strongly. Even the CHR had its inputs. We thought that in the provision on the 14-day reglamentary detention period, one of those that will be informed is the CHR),” he explained. Lacson stressed that it would be the law that would determine who is a terrorist, stressing that arrests would not be discretionary. He said that the ATB has the shortest reglamentary detention period compared to the country’s Southeast Asian neighbors. Lacson said Indonesia can detain suspected terrorists without charges for 21 days and this could be extended. Singapore, according to Lacson, has the longest with 720 days to an indefinite period. Malaysia has 59 days and this could be extended. Australia an Sri Lanka have the shortest detention period.