Bulatlat - The Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine

This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VII, No. 2, Feb. 11-17, 2007

Anti-Terrorism Bill to Keep Cordi Rights Advocates Busy

The passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB) would mean more work for the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) as the group said that human rights violations and political killings would escalate with its passage.

BY KIM QUITASOL
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat

BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 9) — The passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB) would mean more work for the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) as the group said that human rights violations and political killings would escalate with its passage.

The House of Representatives adopted en toto the Senate version of the anti-terror bill which senators passed on Wednesday evening. The senators on Thursday evening ratified the bicameral committee report on the agreement but the House failed to do the same for lack of a quorum.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo told Baguio-based media in Malacañang on Thursday that she was “waiting for the reconciled version pen in hand.” She said once the House adopts the Senate version in a bicameral meeting, the bills are as good as approved.

CHRA secretary-general Atty. Randy Kinaud said his group would need more dedicated people’s rights advocates saying that with the passage of the ATB, more victims of human rights violations and political killings would need assistance. He said the ATB does not really combat terrorism but rather breed state violence against the people.

ATB in the context of the GMA administration

“We have to understand the ATB considering the characteristics of the present administration, which has been proven by the Supreme Court to have violated the Constitution several times,” he stressed.

Kinaud said the ATB would only legitimize “state oppression” as it violates provisions of the Bill of Rights that were enshrined to protect the people. He particularly mentioned the legalization of detention without charges and violation of the press freedom. He explained that with the passage of an anti-terror law, anybody could be detained indefinitely without charges on the mere suspicion that he is a terrorist. He added that media practitioners could also be criminally charged for merely interviewing or contacting suspected terrorists.

“One group that would benefit from the passage of the ATB is the revolutionary movement because it would not be difficult for them to explain how oppressive, exploitative and rotten this administration is,” he said.

Kinaud also said that with the anti-terror law, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) could file terrorism charges against members of organizations tagged as “terrorist fronts.”

People die fighting for what is right

In a separate interview, Dr. Constancio Claver, one of the few survivors of political violence, said that ATB endangers the lives of the people. He added that with the passage of the said bill into law, more people would die fighting for what is right.

Claver further said that since 1980 he was a vocal critic of government’s anti-people policies and was tagged by the AFP as a member of the National Democratic Front (NDF) but never felt a threat in his life until the U.S. labeled the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army and NDFP political consultant Jose Maria Sison as “terrorists.” He said the AFP have labeled many legitimate organizations as terrorist organizations and have made them targets for neutralization, which in military parlance means killing and the ATB would make labeling legal.

Shooting an idea

Claver stressed, however, that these organizations tagged as terrorist fronts would continue to exist and even strengthen themselves despite the passage of ATB because the issues of the people remain unresolved. He explained that the reason of being of progressive organizations is the support of the people.

“You can not shoot down an idea with a bullet,” Clavber stressed. “You can only shoot it down with a better idea.” He added that if the government should think of a better idea to solve the economic, social and political problem of today instead of pursuing anti-people policies.

Claver, Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)-Kalinga vice chairman and Bayan Muna-Kalinga chairman, survived an ambush on July 31, 2006 in Tabuk, Kalinga. His wife, Alyce Omengan-Claver died in the said attack. Northern Dispatch / Posted by Bulatlat

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