Dissent not a crime under anti-terrorism bill -- Gatchalian
Published Jun 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday assured that dissent is not a crime under the proposed Anti-Terror bill.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Gatchalian, one of the senators who backed the measure, said he hopes critics of the bill should first look into the whole context of the proposed law and understand that it primary focus is to fight terrorists and not dissenters. “Pag binasa natin ang batas dapat basahin natin nang buo, tingnan natin yung buong konteksto, ang konteksto nito ay para labanan ang terorismo at yung mga probisyon doon ay nakatutok yan sa paglaban sa terorismo (We should read the whole law, check the whole context of the law. And the context of the law is to fight terrorism, its provisions are focused on fighting terrorism),” Gatchalian said in a televised interview over TV5. “Wala akong nakitang probisyon doon na sinasabi na bawal magpahiwatig ng saloobin, bawal magpahiwatig ng di maganda o sama ng loob sa gobyerno (I didn’t see any provision there that says it’s a crime to express one’s opinions, that it prohibits expressing criticisms against the government),” the senator said. “In fact very clear sa mga provisions doon na ang dissent hindi kasama dito sa (panukalang) batas na ito (that dissent is not included in this proposed law)—very clear in the provisions,” he further explained. What is important, he said, is that the anti-terror bill is full of safeguards to prevent it from being utilized for red-tagging and other possible abuses. “Para sa akin ang importante dito ay meron na tayong kagamitan na pwedeng gamitin at merong safeguards, may mga safeguards dito (For me, what is important is that we have a tool to use against terrorism and there are safeguards here),” he said. The senator said the bill continues to uphold the role of the Courts in ensuring that the safeguards under the proposed law would not be abused. Gatchalian said the enactment of the anti-terror law is important as the Philippines continues to fight extremists groups like the Maute group that staged the siege of Marawi in 2017. The said militant group has alleged links with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and wanted to establish a caliphate in the Philippines. Gatchalian said having a stronger law that will combat terrorism is necessary to maintain peace and order especially in Mindanao. “So importante na meron tayong kagamitan, may tool ang ating gobyerno para mahabol ito (It’s important that the government has a tool to use against them and to prosecute these terrorists,)” he said.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Gatchalian, one of the senators who backed the measure, said he hopes critics of the bill should first look into the whole context of the proposed law and understand that it primary focus is to fight terrorists and not dissenters. “Pag binasa natin ang batas dapat basahin natin nang buo, tingnan natin yung buong konteksto, ang konteksto nito ay para labanan ang terorismo at yung mga probisyon doon ay nakatutok yan sa paglaban sa terorismo (We should read the whole law, check the whole context of the law. And the context of the law is to fight terrorism, its provisions are focused on fighting terrorism),” Gatchalian said in a televised interview over TV5. “Wala akong nakitang probisyon doon na sinasabi na bawal magpahiwatig ng saloobin, bawal magpahiwatig ng di maganda o sama ng loob sa gobyerno (I didn’t see any provision there that says it’s a crime to express one’s opinions, that it prohibits expressing criticisms against the government),” the senator said. “In fact very clear sa mga provisions doon na ang dissent hindi kasama dito sa (panukalang) batas na ito (that dissent is not included in this proposed law)—very clear in the provisions,” he further explained. What is important, he said, is that the anti-terror bill is full of safeguards to prevent it from being utilized for red-tagging and other possible abuses. “Para sa akin ang importante dito ay meron na tayong kagamitan na pwedeng gamitin at merong safeguards, may mga safeguards dito (For me, what is important is that we have a tool to use against terrorism and there are safeguards here),” he said. The senator said the bill continues to uphold the role of the Courts in ensuring that the safeguards under the proposed law would not be abused. Gatchalian said the enactment of the anti-terror law is important as the Philippines continues to fight extremists groups like the Maute group that staged the siege of Marawi in 2017. The said militant group has alleged links with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and wanted to establish a caliphate in the Philippines. Gatchalian said having a stronger law that will combat terrorism is necessary to maintain peace and order especially in Mindanao. “So importante na meron tayong kagamitan, may tool ang ating gobyerno para mahabol ito (It’s important that the government has a tool to use against them and to prosecute these terrorists,)” he said.