Press Release
June 14, 2020

Dela Rosa pushes for the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020: Terrorism is a very complicated crime, a crime against humanity and we have one of the weakest terrorism laws in the world

Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa assured the public that the proposed anti-terrorism measure that was submitted to Malacañang recently cannot be abused and used as a tool for human rights violation and to silence political dissent and activism in the country.

Dela Rosa's statement came following calls to defer the passage of Senate Bill No. 1083 or "An Act To Prevent, Prohibit and Penalize Terrorism, Thereby Repealing Republic Act No. 9372 Otherwise Known as the Human Security Act of 2007" from various groups.

The senator, who also served as the Chief of Philippine National Police upon President Duterte's assumption of office, said that the proposed anti-terror measure contains salient provisions that clearly define acts of terror as well as terms that will safeguard the exercise of civil and political rights of every Filipino, and you have nothing to worry about if you are not a terrorist or supporter of terrorists.

"Kung ikaw ay law abiding citizen at ayaw na ayaw mo ang terrorism, when this bill is signed into law, you will rejoice. Pero kung ikaw ay isang terorista or supporter ng terorista, matakot ka sa batas na ito, yun lang ang napaka simpleng summary sa batas na ito. Ito ay ginawa para protektahan tayo angainst terrorism, hindi para tayo ang i-terrorize...Terrorism as defined in this section shall not include advocacy, protest, dissent stoppage of work, industrial or mass action and other similar exercises of civil and political rights which are not intended to cause death or serious physical harm to a person, to endanger a person's life, or to create a serious risk to public safety," Dela Rosa explained in an interview early this week.

He reiterated that activism is not even considered as an act of terror. "Kahit po magsigaw-sigaw ka diyan [ng] makibaka, makibaka hindi po kayo saklaw dito. Mahirap kasi yung information ngayon na ginagawa ng mga kaliwa about anti-terrorism bill dahil takot sila alam nila tatamaan ang NPA dito kaya talagang humaharang talaga sila...Sinasabihan nila ang mga bata, mag-rally kayo. Kaya yung sa UP Cebu [na] mga estudyante, sino nag-lead sa mga rally nila, mga matatanda. Mga 60 years old na mga leader ng Anakbayan na hiniritan yung mga bata na hindi na kayo pwedeng mag-rally kapag [may] anti-terror bill na. Hindi po yan totoo, hindi po saklaw sa terrorism yung pagra-rally ninyo, hindi po kasama dito," he further noted.

The senator also clarified in an interview today that the function of the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) is a safeguard for human rights instead of a threat, allaying fears of abuse as alleged by some left-leaning groups.

"Itong role ng ATC dito is additional safeguard ito sa human rights ng isang suspect dahil ang suspected terrorist pag hinuli ka ng pulis, ire-report agad ng pulis sa tatlong ahensya, yung nearest court, Anti Terrorism Council, at sa Human Rights Commission. Yung tatlong ahensya na yan, mabigat na yan at di mo talaga maba-violate ang karapatang pantao...ATC ngayon ang magsasabi na 'okay, pwede mo siyang idetain ng 14 days dahil talagang myembro ito ng terrorist group', because ATC is the one holding the list of all the designated terrorist organizations and proscribed terrorist organizations and terrorists kaya sila ang magsasabi nun. Kasi mahirap naman na pabayaan mo lang yung pulis, walang ATC na mag su-supervise...Hindi naman pwede i-assume ng ATC ang judicial function, that is left to the court. So ngayon ang papel ng ATC diyan ay mag determine lang kung ito ba ay pasok sa batas na ito na 14 days siyang pwedeng ikulong or hindi...Tatlo ha, tatlo yan na bodies na mag sa-safe guard sa iyong human rights, kaya mabigat ito. Hindi ka pwede magloko loko sa batas na ito. Human Rights (Commission) pa, mag mo-monitor sa'yo, they're more after the rights of the suspect than the police, wala silang pakialam kung mamatay yung police o sundalo, babantayan nila yung rights ng terorista."

When asked about the fears of the public about arresting a suspect before committing a crime, Dela Rosa said, "Alam mo, mas mabigat yung papel ng nagplano dahil brains ang ginagamit diyan, dahil ang utak ng terorismo ay iyong nagpa-plano. Yung nag eexecute, nag ca-carry out sa terror act, yung nagpapasabog ng bomba, madali lang magpasabog, yung pag plano ang mahirap...kaya dapat i-penalize din yan. Is planning not an action? Nagpa-plano ka na eh, gumagawa ka na ng plano, saan dadaan, anong dadalhing mga gamit, sinong titirahin natin, lahat kasama sa plano yan. Pero kung nasa utak mo lang yan, hindi mo shinare sa ibang tao, who can read your mind?"

Dela Rosa also emphasized the rationale behind the 14 day allowable detention period in interviews, "Ang terorismo ay hindi ordinary crime, it is a crime against humanity, very complicated. Lalo na yung human terrorism, yung connection niyan sa ibang bansa, napaka lalim, mahirap mag imbistiga nito...hindi yan like ordinary crimes na yung elements of the crime ay madali mo lang pupulutin kahit saan saan, diyan sa crime scene mismo napupulot mo na yung elements of the crime. Iba ito, very complicated ito. Lalong lalo na itong international or global terrorism, dahil ang connection dito sa ibang bansa ay napaka expensive. Kaya binigyan natin ng ample time itong ating law enforcement agencies, at least 14 days, para mag develop properly ng isang mabigat na kaso against dito sa terorista na ito dahil hindi madali ito."

Earlier this week, Dela Rosa also recounted his experience as Chief of Police of Davao City when his team caught a big time terrorist couple who they had to let go due to inability to collect evidence in the span of the 3 day allowable detention period as mandated by the Human Security Act of 2007. One of the pair was Kiram Reza, a Filipino who got recruited by the ISIS and later seen on video beheading 3 German captives in Syria. Dela Rosa emphasized that this could've been avoided if only they were given more time to build up the case and gather evidence. He also cited the allowable detention period for terrorists in other countries, such 21 days to 200 days for Indonesia, 30 days for Pakistan, 14 days for Australia, and indefinitely for Maldives and Singapore.

Dela Rosa appeals to the public to support the much needed bill which will give teeth to our law in the tough fight against terrorism, "sa ating mga kababayan, gusto ko

lang pong iparating sa inyo na itong batas na ito, grabe ang dinaanan nito na proseso sa amin sa Senado. Grabe ang balitaktakan nito, it was deliberated upon seriously at ginawa natin ito para maprotektahan tayong lahat laban sa terorismo. Dahil sa ngayon, tayo ang merong pinakamahina na anti terror law. In fact, sa buong mundo, number 9 tayo sa most negatively impacted countries by terrorism. Kawawa talaga ang Pilipinas, sobra ang epekto ng terrorism sa ating bansa. Kaya panahon na ito para makabangon tayo sa epekto ng terrorism. Gawa tayo ng batas na malakas panlaban sa terorismo. Gawin natin ito. Dapat hindi tayo matakot sa terorista, dapat ang terorista ang matakot sa atin dahil may batas tayo na malakas panlaban sa kanila."

Dela Rosa also passionately said to those who are asking the president to junk the terror bill, "I-junk ninyo. Gusto niyo i-junk? I-junk ninyo. Kapag kayo'y naging biktima ng terorista, sumabog ang bomba diyan, may namatay sa inyo na mga mahal sa buhay ninyo o kayo mismo, huwag ninyong sisihin ang gobyerno na hindi gumagawa ng paraan para mahinto ang terrorism. Sige, gusto niyo another Marawi siege? Go ahead. Gusto niyo ng another Zamboanga siege? Go ahead. Gusto ninyo ng bombing, kaliwa't kanan? Go ahead. I-junk natin ito. Basta wag niyo sisihin ang gobyerno kapag nagka letse letse tayo sa terrorism dito."

The proposed anti-terror measure was already transmitted to the Palace earlier this week for the signature of President Duterte.

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