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After Pres. Rodrigo Duterte certified the bill ‘urgent’, he is not signing the anti-terror bill right away as reviewing is needed

The world is rallying to #JUNKTERRORBILL

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President Rodrigo Duterte previously called the anti-terror bill urgent “in order to adequately and effectively contain the menace of terrorist acts for the preservation of national security and the promotion of general welfare” but that doesn’t mean he will automatically sign it into law.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte will review the measure’s compliance to the Constitution.

“Alam niyo, bagamat it’s certified urgent, hindi naman po automatic na pipirmahan yan ng Presidente,” Roque said during an online press briefing.

“That is still subject to final review by the President to ensure that it is compliant with our Constitution,” he added.

The only thing the bill needs is the president’s signature after the House of Representatives approved House Bill 6875 on the third and final hearing Wednesday. In addition, even if Duterte doesn’t sign it, the bill will still be a law.

Critics, such as lawmakers say that the bill could be “abused” to crack down on dissenters.

Terrorism is described as any activity committed by any person who within or outside the Philippines, regardless of the stage of execution;

  1. Engages in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury to any person, or endangers a person’s life;
  2. Engages in acts intended to cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or public facility, public place or private property:
  3. Engages in acts intended to cause extensive interference with, damage or destruction to critical infrastructure;
  4. Develops, manufactures, possesses, acquires, transports, supplies or uses weapons, explosives or of biological, nuclear, radiological or chemical weapons; and
  5. Release of dangerous substances, or causing fire, floods or explosions.

The measure also describes terrorist activities as acts that “intimidate the general public or a segment thereof, create an atmosphere or spread a message of fear, to provoke or influence by intimidation the government or any of its international organization, or seriously destabilize or destroy the fundamental political, economic, or social structures of the country, or create a public emergency or seriously undermine public safety.”

The anti-terror bill’s criticism go beyond local celebrities as Taylor Swift and other international personalities have shared the petition to junk the bill on their social media accounts.

https://twitter.com/MotherMuchy/status/1268527358740516864?s=20

https://twitter.com/seelyan/status/1268518378500550656?s=20

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Written by Charles Teves

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