Anti-terror bill covers calls for armed struggle’

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NATIONAL Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. yesterday said protests in support of the New People’s Army (NPA) will not be allowed under the proposed anti-terrorism law once the rebel group is classified as a terrorist organization.

Esperon said while mass actions to express dissent against the government are allowed under the measure, calling for support for armed struggle during such protests will be treated differently.

“Rallies are actually allowed. But if your objective is to help and strengthen the armed struggle or the New People’s Army, that’s prohibited under the anti-terrorism act,” said Esperon.

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“If they say ‘join the NPA, support the NPA’, that’s another story,” said Esperon, adding: “That is why those supporting the NPA are making a noise (against the proposed law).”

Once proscribed as a terrorist group, the NPA and their supporters will be covered by the proposed anti-terrorist law. “We have a pending petition for proscription (against the NPA) since 2018,” said Esperon, referring to the motion pending before a Manila court.

Esperon shared the earlier position of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that the NPA is not covered by the bill, noting that the group is yet to be proscribed as a pending terrorist organization.

Lorenzana, however, has said that if NPA rebels resort to bombing and burning of government and private properties, “they would be venturing into the realm of terrorism.”

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the bill cannot cover the NPA as an organization but terrorism charges can be pursued against NPA rebels for individual terrorist acts like bombings.

“They are not yet covered under the (proposed) terrorism act but they can be covered by existing laws,” said Esperon, noting that rebellion is among the charges that can be filed against NPA rebels for their atrocities.

Esperon said the bill, recently passed by both houses of Congress, is currently being carefully studied by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

Esperon urged those who are opposing the bill’s enactment to law to read and understand the full text of the measure.

“That would answer their concerns and they will realize that this anti-terrorism bill is for the benefit of everyone,” he said.

“Have we forgotten what happened in the past like the Marawi siege?,” he asked in reference to the May 2017 occupation of several Marawi City barangays by members of the Maute Group.

The five month-conflict resulted in the death of about a thousand terrorists, 168 soldiers and policemen, and 47 civilians. It also brought massive destruction to the city, which is still being rebuilt.

Esperon also noted other terrorist attacks like the Dos Palmas kidnapping in May 2001 and the suicide bombing at the Mt. Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu in January last year that left 23 people dead, including an Indonesian couple who blew themselves up.

He also cited the bombing of Super Ferry 14 in Manila Bay in February 2004 that left 116 people dead.

“We are protecting human rights. Let us not say there is no terrorism in the Philippines. If there are concerns that human rights will be violated, there is enough safeguard there (in the proposed law),” he insisted.

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