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Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Terrorism now a top security threat, official says (8:05 p.m.)
MANILA -- Lawmakers moved closer to approving a strict anti-terror law Tuesday as the Philippines' chief law enforcer declared that terrorism is now the country's top security threat.
The House of Representatives' committees on justice and foreign affairs voted to approve an anti-terrorism bill after consolidating several versions filed earlier in the chamber.
Some opposition legislators claimed the bill, which could include the death penalty for threatening an attack on cyberspace, has been railroaded through despite unresolved questions on its impact on human and civil rights.
Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes, who supervises the Philippine National Police and heads a newly created National Anti-Crime Task Force, said the past weekend's bombings on Indonesia's Bali Island are a "warning to everybody that terrorism is with us and will be with us for many more years."
"The threats to the republic would be, No. 1, terrorism," Reyes said.
"We have reports that some of them (terrorists) are probably here, so there is a clear and present danger of terrorist attacks here," he added.
Reyes said the other threats are the country's 36-year-old communist insurgency and the Muslim separatist rebellion in the south.
The proposed law defines terrorism as "premeditated, threatened, or actual use of violence, or force" or "other means of destruction" to create or sow "a state of danger, panic, fear or chaos to the general public, group of persons or segments thereof, or of coercing or intimidating the government to do or abstain from doing an act."
It carries a possible death penalty and a fine of 10 million pesos.
Under the proposed law, terrorist acts include assassination or threatening to assassinate the President or Vice President; hijacking and piracy; attacking or threatening to attack cyberspace; willfully destroying natural resources; inflicting serious risks to health and public safety; kidnapping or threats of kidnapping; unlawful manufacturing of chemical, biological or nuclear agents; and unlawful manufacturing of explosives and bombs.
A final House bill would be later consolidated with a counterpart version from the Senate before being signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; a staunch supporter of the U.S. led fight against terrorism.
Justice committee chairman Representative Simeon Datumanong said the consolidated bill would be formally presented to the House next week for debate.
"These are extraordinary and very precarious times that call for a resolute and swift action from the State," Datumanong said.
"Congress must no longer vacillate in instituting exceptional and expedient measures to thwart all terror attacks," added Datumanong.
Representative Liza Maza of the leftist women's party Gabriela said the definition of terrorism is ambiguous and the proposed law deals with crimes already covered by the penal code, but imposes more severe penalties. (AP) |
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