The terror law is a dangerous piece of legislation which directly harms our basic rights and freedoms. By denying with finality our motions for reconsideration, the Supreme Court has upheld the law’s most draconian provisions — from the vague and overbroad definition of “terrorism,” the arbitrary powers of the Anti-Terrorism Council to designate and freeze assets of individuals and organizations tagged as “terrorists,” and the 24-day period of warrantless detention.
The terror law is a dangerous piece of legislation which directly harms our basic rights and freedoms. By denying with finality our motions for reconsideration, the Supreme Court has upheld the law’s most draconian provisions — from the vague and overbroad definition of “terrorism,” the arbitrary powers of the Anti-Terrorism Council to designate and freeze assets of individuals and organizations tagged as “terrorists,” and the 24-day period of warrantless detention. These would only engender the commission of human rights violations under the cover of implementing this terror law.
We at Karapatan continue to assert that this law must be junked and declared unconstitutional, and we call on candidates in the upcoming elections to take a stand for people’s rights and our civil liberties by joining all freedom-loving Filipinos in ringing the call to junk the terror law.
Cristina Palabay
Karapatan Secretary General