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Malacañang on Sunday reassured the public that the Human
Security Act (HSA), which entered into force that day,
will give law enforcers the necessary legal teeth to
effectively fight terrorism in the country without
sacrificing civil rights as feared by some groups.
Press
Secretary Ignaco Bunye made the reassurance amid
continued opposition to the implementation of the
controversial law despite repeated statements from
Palace officials led by President Arroyo that the law
was especially designed to protect human rights and
deter wrongful arrests.
“The law
empowers enforcers to crush the terrorist movement in
the country and to transform our nation’s response to
political violence, while at the same time ensuring that
civil rights are protected,” Bunye said.
He added
that “the law’s message is clear: if you are armed and
kill civilians, you will be prosecuted. If you are a
communist terrorist, religious terrorist or even a rogue
element of our own police or military, you will be
stopped.”
To
illustrate the importance of the law, Bunye cited the
Davao International Airport bombing incident in 2003,
where a suspect was charged only with illegal possession
of firearms in the absence of an antiterror law, and was
granted bail.
“The
suspect eventually bailed himself out, only to commit
another act of terrorism by perpetuating the
North Cotabato bombing,” he said.
Bunye
said that such instances would be prevented by the
antiterror law, which “enhances the safety and domestic
security of our country by giving us more legal power to
prosecute those who commit any acts of terror on our
people.”
Bunye
said that the law does not require implementing rules
and regulations prior to its effectivity, but calls for
publication requirements in the national and regional
media which have been complied with.
Members
of the fisherfolk alliance Pambasang Lakas ng Kilusang
Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) will go on
another offensive against the Human Security Act of 2007
this week by sending copies of their own version of the
antiterror primer to Metro Manila mayors to counter
Malacañang-drafted primers on the antiterror law, which
Palace officials said would replace the implementing
rules of the law.
Pamalakaya said all mayors in Metro Manila whether
identified with the administration or the opposition
will get each a copy of the militant’s primer
“Antiterrorism Act: A Recipe for Undeclared Martial
Law.”
The
primer, produced by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan),
exposes the alleged ills of the antiterror law, which
militants claim can be easily used against critics of
the Arroyo administration.
Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap said mayors
identified with the Genuine Opposition will be the first
recipients of the Bayan primer.
The
12-page Bayan primer said that the administration will
use the anti-terror law as an instrument to quell
legitimate expressions of political dissent and social
protest. The primer said mass actions calling for the
ouster of President Arroyo, protest actions or workers
strikes would be considered as act of terrorism under
the law.
A
congressman said Sunday that the effectivity of Human
Security Act, or the antiterror law will boost investor
confidence in the country with the greater assurance of
public safety from terrorist activity.
Lakas
Rep. Monico Puentebella of Bacolod City said that with
the new anti-terror law, investors will be reassured of
greater safety in the country with the law enforcement
tools provided under the HSA.
“Our
vulnerability to terror attacks and other security
loopholes are major concerns for foreign investors. We
can’t blame them if some who we’ve been trying to
convince to invest are still shying away from the
country because their capital may be hijacked by enemies
of the state. But all these fears will be eased by the
implementation of the HSA which begins today [Sunday],”
said Puentevella. (With J. Mayuga and F. Marasigan) |
