THE controversial Anti-terrorism Act of 2020 will take effect on Saturday, July 18, 2020, according to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.
Guevarra announced the law’s effectivity in a message sent to reporters Friday, July 17.
"Considering that the law was published on July 3, it will take effect on July 18, which is the 15th day. This is in accordance with the ruling of the Supreme Court in 'People vs Nicolas', among others. We rectify our earlier statement that the law will take effect after the 15th day, or on July 19," Guevarra said.
The effectivity clause of the law states that it shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two newspapers of general circulation.
At least nine petitions seeking to stop the law’s enforcement have been filed before the Supreme Court (SC) after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the measure on July 3.
Among the petitioners are the former head of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel Rudolph Philip B. Jurado, Christian S. Monsod, Felicitas A. Aquino, and the Ateneo Human Rights Center, two labor groups represented by the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) and the Pro-Labor Legal Assistance Center (PLACE), and the Sanlakas party-list.
Others are the group of lawyers Howard Calleja and former Education secretary Armin Luistro, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, the group of law dean Mel Sta. Maria and several professors of the Far Eastern University (FEU), and the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives headed by Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate.
Critics have warned that the law is prone to abuse.
The new law, or Republic Act 11479, criminalizes the incitement of terrorism “by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other representations.”
It allows authorities to detain alleged terrorists without judicial warrant of arrest for 14 days with an extension of 10 days.
Anybody found guilty of conspiring to commit terrorism will be meted the penalty of life imprisonment without the benefit of parole.
The same penalties will be imposed on those who provide support or recruit terrorists.
Twelve years of imprisonment would be imposed on people who propose to commit terrorism. (Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)