PNP assures public anti-terror law will have safeguards
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday assured the public the anti-terrorism law will have safeguards so it will not be abused by authorities.
In a radio interview, Brigadier General Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said the bill was carefully studied by the lawmakers to assure that balance between human rights and order will be maintained.
“We are assured that safeguards will be in place so that it will not be subject to abuse,” Banac said.
He added the PNP- Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO) will conduct information dissemination and training so policemen will know the provisions of that law.
“We will conduct training and information campaign for our police personnel so that they will be aware of the provisions on the said law so that the whole institution will be ready once the President (Rodrigo Duterte) signed the Anti-Terrorism Bill,” Banac said.
Banac said cops who will abuse the law will be punished.
“If a police violates this he will face criminal, administrative (cases) and 10 years imprisonment,” he said.
Banac said law abiding citizens do not need to be afraid as only suspects will be under surveillance.
“This will be for suspected terrorists. Ordinary citizens will not be immediately subject to surveillance. A law-abiding citizen will not be subject to this provision if ever this will be approved into a law… this will undergo careful study,” he said.
Under the bill, suspected terrorists will be under surveillance for 60 days by the police and military with a 30-day extension if authorization has been secured from the Court of Appeals.
There is a provision of a 14-day detention of a suspected terrorist without charges, subject to extension for 10 more days.
Banac said even with this provision, they are allowed to fast track the filing of charges once the family, the Commission on Human Rights, the public and even the media were informed about the incident.
“We cannot file charges on the 14th day… on the day one, we are obliged to file the charges,” he said.
He added only under extreme cases will authorities be allowed to use the grace period.
Banac said the bill will empower law enforcers as it will even protect the country against the terrorists.
According to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the bill could be on Duterte’s desk as early as Tuesday.
Sotto said he expected to sign the enrolled bill on the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 by Monday.
Last June 3, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the bill where 173 congressmen voted for it while 31 were against and 29 abstained. Ella Dionisio/DMS
