Rising from the Dead
Recycled bills in the 13^th Congress

Among the bills and resolutions now in the Order of Business for the 13^th Congress are measures recycled from previous administrations. Of particular note are measures to curb “terrorism” and change the 1987 Constitution.

BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat

In the new Congress, highly contentious bills in the past have been slightly revised and filed. 

Among the bills and resolutions now in the Order of Business (OB) for the 13^th Congress, which opened last July 26, are measures recycled from previous administrations. Particularly noteworthy is the resurrection of measures to curb “terrorism” and change the 1987 Constitution.

Measures related to these two issues were raised as early as the administration of Fidel V. Ramos (1992-1998). After taking a backseat in the wake of protests, these were recycled during Joseph Estrada’s presidency and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s stint as constitutional successor of Estrada who was ousted by a popular uprising in 2001. Since they failed to take off in the past, the measures are being proposed anew.

Anti-terrorism bills

There are two bills which supposedly aim to right terrorism. One, filed by Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco. seeks to classify terrorism as a “heinous crime.” Another, filed by Mandaluyong Rep. Benhur Abalos, aims to legislate the installation of monitoring devices in public places.

Syjuco filed anti-terrorism bills in the 12^th Congress. The Abalos bill, if passed, may be used to monitor the activities of cause-oriented groups and individuals.

One of the most controversial bills in the 12^th Congress was House Bill (HB) No. 3802 filed by Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos, known as the Anti-Terrorism Act. If passed, HB 3802 would have allowed police to conduct surveillance on suspected terrorists and obtain information even from personal communications such as electronic mail, telephone conversations, and even text messages.

Cause-oriented groups opposed this bill due to the vague definition of terrorism. The bill defined terrorism as “an act of violence or threat intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a particular person or a group of persons for political purposes.”

The bill had no clear definition of “act of violence or threat,” “political purposes,” or “state of terror.” Critics of HB 3802 argued that with such a vague definition of “terrorism,” even legitimate and legal actions such as strikes and protest rallies may be construed as sowing terror for political purposes.

The danger of vagueness became more evident in 2002 when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo accused striking workers who demanded higher wages and better working conditions as “terrorizing” factory owners.

Furthermore, the bill would have endangered leaders and members of cause-oriented groups which have been accused by the military of being front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). The NPA is listed by the U.S. State Department as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

There had been similar measures pushed during the Ramos administration, such as the bill legislating a National Identification System and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s bill seeking to legalize government access to bank accounts. The Estrada administration tried to pass these laws but had to be shelved due to massive protests from cause-oriented groups and individuals.

Charter change

There are currently two bills and seven resolutions pushing for amendments to the 1987 Constitution. One of the resolutions is co-authored by House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

De Venecia is pushing for a shift in the form of government from presidential to parliamentary. Aside from that, he is also reported as pushing for measures that would make the country more attractive to investors.

Advocates of the globalization policies criticize the 1987 Constitution for having provisions that restrict foreign ownership of business enterprises and prevent foreigners from owning land and media outfits, saying they discourage foreign investors.

More bills are expected to be filed as legislators get to work. Clearly, measures that will be proposed in the days to come may not necessarily work for the benefit of the toiling masses, based on the nature of the already filed bills and resolutions. Bulatlat                           

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