It
looks like everyone suspected of ousting the President or have political
ambitions in the future are feeling the heat.
Makabayan
bloc who are composed of those militant congressmen in the House of
Representatives are against issuing a strong dissent in slamming the proposed
Anti-Terrorism bill as it was being passed on the third reading.
In
a statement released by the group, they warned about the possible implications
of the soon to be signed law, once this is signed by president Rodrigo Duterte,
the enforcement could be far worse than those during the time of Martial Law.
“We,
the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives denounce in the strongest
terms the fast-tracked approval of the new Anti-Terrorism Act,” the statement
read.
The group
specifically questions the provisions in both Congress-approved legislation
under House Bill No. 6875 and Senate Bill No. 1083 that will
give the Chief Executive “unprecedented powers to suppress dissent, silence
critics and activists, and curtail the fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens,
on the pretext of fighting terrorism.”
“It is one step
closer towards Duterte’s dictatorial rule,” the statement read.
Makabayan
bloc recalled Mr. Duterte’s past statements, regrading
his threat to impose martial law and if the Anti-Terrorism bill is signed into
a law it “will grant him powers that transgress the constitutional limits on the
exercise of certain martial law powers and run roughshod over fundamental
rights and freedoms, including the right to due process and freedom of
expression.”
Makabayan
bloc pinpoints that the most dangerous provision of the law “grants vast
discretionary powers to the Anti-Terrorism Council, composed of Cabinet
officials, mostly from the defense and security sectors, that have heretofore
been reserved to courts.”
They further
claim that the proposed law has the power to designate individuals and groups
as terrorist, authorize the warrantless arrests and detention for up to 24
days, freezing of bank accounts and other assets, and conduct sweeping
surveillance on private communications.
“The track record of
the Duterte administration for gross violations of human rights, extrajudicial
killings, intensive military operations against rural communities, including
Moro and indigenous people, and weaponization of the law to harass and detain
critics, virtually assures that the new anti-terror law will be used and abused
by Malacanang against the people.”
What can you say about
this?
Share us your thoughts by simply leaving on the
comment section below. For more news updates, feel free to visit our site
often.
Stay
updated with today's relevant news and trends by hitting the LIKE button.
Thanks
for dropping by and reading this post.
Report from Politiko
Disclaimer:
Contributed articles does not reflect the view of THE PH CHRONICLES. This website cannot
guarantee the legitimacy of some of the information contributed to us. You may
do additional research if you find some information doubtful. No part of this
article maybe reproduced without permission from this website.
0 Comments