THE Anti-Terrorism Bill, which is being pushed in Congress, is seen to further bring atrocities especially to women, a women’s group opposing the bill said during the pre-commemoration of the International Women’s Day 2020 Thursday, March 5.

The Philippine Senate, on February 26, approved Senate Bill No. 1083 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which will repeal the Human Security Act of 2007.

According to a Senate press release, the “bill would provide a strong legal backbone to support the country’s criminal justice response to terrorism, provide the law enforcers the much-needed tools to protect the people from the threat of terrorism and, at the same time, safeguard the rights of those accused of the crime.”

The bill also seeks “to make the definition of terrorist acts concise, clear, and adherent with regional and international standards. It proposes to do away with the element of ‘motive’ and define terrorist acts to cover the following unlawful acts, in or outside the Philippines, regardless of its stage of execution”.

These include attacks that cause death or serious bodily injury to any person, or endanger a person’s life; and attacks that cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or public facility, critical infrastructure, public place or private property likely to endanger human life or result in major economic loss.

Gabriela-Southern Mindanao Vice Chair Cora Espinoza said the bill is prone to abuse especially with its certain provisions which are close to those adopted during martial law.

Espinoza said the Anti-Terrorism Act is only a rehash of the martial law, which ended during the last part of 2019, two years after it was imposed due to the Marawi siege.

She stated the bill provides that “life imprisonment without parole for those who will propose, incite, conspire, and participate in the planning, training, preparation and facilitation of a terrorist act; as well as those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit anyone to be a member of a terrorist organization.

While the bill is not selective to any race or gender, she said women will also be prone to abuses especially the political activists, whom the government has been “red-tagged” or labeled as terrorist.

“Sa martial law, alarming naman gani ang kahimtang sa mga kababaihan, how much more kini (Women during martial law were already experiencing threats how much more now that they will be enacting the anti-terrorism bill),” Espinoza said.

She said Gabriela members are personally experiencing “grave threats” for airing their protests to the government for failing to defend women’s rights.

Espinoza said the women’s group, along with other progressive groups, is currently lobbying to the national government for President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the bill.

Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo Lacson, the bill’s proponent, defended its legal safeguards against perceived abuses that may be committed during its implementation.

He also assured it will not be used to oppress activists.

Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, for his part, also said the bill is a step forward in providing a tougher response to the threats of violent extremism and radicalization in the country. (RGL with report from PNA)