“No matter who is in power, we have remained fearless in our truth-telling. We will continue our work while we also consider all legal remedies available to question, and stop yet another state-sponsored repression.”
“For the past three decades I have always worked for just peace to reign in the Philippines and for the Filipino people. Members of the government peace negotiating panels and other GRP officials can attest to this.”
With eight days before the May 9 elections, Bulatlat takes a look at the senatorial candidates’ statements on the ATA as well as their stance on peace talks and on political prisoners.
“Let us hold accountable those in power who disregard due process and violate the right to life.”
Antonio La Viña, counsel for indigenous peoples, said the ATA, if not declared as unconstitutional, has deadly consequences. He cited the case of Chad Booc, volunteer teacher for Lumad schools and a petitioner against the ATA. He said that Booc, whom he knew personally, was constantly targeted by state forces, tagged as a member of “a terrorist group” until he was killed.
“The views of candidates on the ATA [Anti-Terror Act] are relevant in weighing their standpoint on human rights and democracy – with the ATA considered by petitioners at the Supreme Court as a law that can be most dangerously used to silence political dissent.”
Critics of the anti-terror law have long assailed that it will be used to silence dissent. A year on, progressives said the law has left bank accounts of non-profit organizations and political prisoners frozen on allegations that they are financing or supporting terrorism.
Will it be enough to straighten out its vagueness and overbreadth, as argued by petitioners? Or should the high court’s magistrates strike it down due to vagueness and overbreadth that can bring more harm than the evils it promises to destroy?
“ATC’s terrorist designation is just another nefarious device concocted by those who reckon they can and must go around or against the Constitution and the rules of law, fair play and common decency to silence those who speak and clamor for change.”
It seems that time is up for reckoning on the crude, arrogant and irresponsible red-tagging campaign, waged mainly by the military and police at the behest of the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Confict or NTF-ELCAC. Created and nominally headed by President Duterte, the task force is overseen by his national…
“The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 fails miserably to protect and preserve the guarantees of human rights and civil liberties enshrined in the Constitution and therefore must be struck down.”