ON THE heels of the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill, death threats have befallen a local activist.
Jeoff Larua, secretary-general of Tongtongan ti Umili (Tongtongan), received death threats and has been accused of being part of the New People's Army (NPA).
"Today, I fear for my safety and my fellow activists' safety, as we foresee more of these attacks. Still, there is a lot of work to be done, it is appalling and saddening that some people and state actors are considering my work as an activist as bothersome, terroristic, and worthy of elimination," Larua said.
TTU is a multi-sectoral group advocating rights of the people in Metro-Baguio.
Larua is a former student journalist at Saint Louis University's student paper, White & Blue, and a correspondent of Northern Dispatch.
The first message Laura received at 10:27 a.m. from mobile number 09089818597 stated: "ikw JEOFF LARUA... malapit na araw mo (Jeoff [Larua], your days are numbered)."
The next text came at 11:01 a.m. from 09471986426 and stated: "JEOFF JEOFF JEOF... WALA KYO MAPAPALA SA GINAGAWA NYO BILANG N LNG ARAW MO. (Jeoff, you will not benefit from what you are doing. Your days are numbered.)"
A message from another number at 11:52 a.m. read" "Mamumundok ka rin ba??? Punta k s mga ksama mo? NPA k talaga... Hahaha... LAPIT K N JEOFF (Are you going to the mountains? Go to your comrades? You are an NPA. Hahaha. Your end is near)."
Another message read: "Ayus sna itsura mo kung di k lng sumasama sa knila... Amo ng mukha mo JEOFF...ngaun, mas maayus itsura mo kpg napasaog n ulo mo...gnyan dapat sa inyo mga NPA." (Your looks would be better if you just did not associate with them. You have quite the face, Jeoff. Now, your face would look better once we blow that up.) The text came from phone number 09982287347.
The last message read: "Hwag mon tangkain magtago ah. Kung nsan ka andun kmi. Salot k NPA ka. Ingay mo... Patatahimikin k na." (Do not even try to hide. We are where you are. You, an NPA, are such a pest. You make too much noise. You will be silenced soon.)
Larua denounced the harassment, saying it only aims to silence those who are critical of the administration's actions.
Larua, along with Tongtongan chairperson Geraldine Cacho, filed a police report about the threats at the Police Station 4 in Loakan. He is also planning to prepare a complaint at the Commission on Human Rights.
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines condemned the harassment and red-tagging of journalists and activists across the country.
Voting 173-31 with 29 abstentions, the House of Representatives approved the new anti-terrorism bill despite protests.
House Bill (HB) 6875 was passed just a couple of days after President Rodrigo Duterte certified it as urgent and asked Congress to address the "urgent need to strengthen the law on anti-terrorism."
HB 6875 will repeal the Human Security Act of 2007. It was copied from Senate Bill 1038, which the Senate passed on third and final reading in February 2020.
With the House approval of a bill that merely adopted an approved Senate measure, there would no longer be any bicameral conference and the final bill would be submitted to Duterte for approval.
If enacted into law, this will allow warrantless arrests of persons suspected of being terrorists. They may be detained for 14 days with an allowable 10-day extension, or up to a total of 24 days without charges.
The bill also penalizes persons who voluntarily and knowingly join any terrorist organization, association, or group of persons with imprisonment of 12 years.
Authorities may conduct 60-day surveillance on suspected terrorists, with an allowable 30-day extension.
To allay concerns of abuse, the Commission on Human Rights will be notified in case of detention of a suspected terrorist.
Most of the 31 who voted no lamented that no amendments were allowed to be introduced to the bill and some of them were not given the chance to ask questions.
Senate Bill 1083 introduced provisions imposing life imprisonment without parole on 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.
It includes a new section on foreign terrorist fighters to cover Filipino nationals who commit terrorist offenses abroad.
The measure not only establishes Philippine jurisdiction over Filipino nationals who may join and fight with terrorist organizations outside the Philippines but also ensures that foreign terrorists do not use the country as a transit point, a safe haven to plan and train new recruits for terrorist attacks in other countries.
Any person who shall threaten to commit terrorism or propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism will be imprisoned for 12 years.
Aside from allowing warrantless arrests and detention of up to 24 days without charges, the bill removed the provision on payment of P500,000 damages per day of detention of any person acquitted of terrorism charges.
A new provision, designating certain Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) as Anti-Terror Courts, was also introduced to ensure the speedy disposition of cases.
Also, the use of videoconferencing for the accused and witnesses to remotely appear and testify will be allowed under the measure. (With a report from SunStar Philippines)