Vice Ganda calls on lawmakers to address people’s fears on anti-terror bill

Vice Ganda. Image: Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

Vice Ganda, the latest star to decry the anti-terrorism bill, called on lawmakers to address the fears that people have toward it after Congress passed it yesterday, June 3 on its final reading.

President Rodrigo Duterte certified as urgent House Bill No. 6875 on Monday, June 1. After being passed in both Senate and Congress, it now only needs the president’s signature to be signed into law.

Human rights groups and opposition lawmakers warn that the bill could be abused to target critics and crack down on any form of dissent.

Vice voiced his concerns over the bill in a tweet this afternoon, June 4. “Naniniwala ako na mahalagang magkaroon ng batas na magbibigay sa atin ng proteksyon laban sa terorismo. Pero mahalaga din na ang mga batas na ito ay hindi makatapak sa ating mga human rights at civil liberties.”

(I believe that it is important to have a law that gives us protection against terrorism. But it is also important that these laws do not trample on human rights and civil liberties.)

Ladies and chumenemen!
I believe!
And I …………….zenkyowww! pic.twitter.com/pvYlWb7CKw

— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) June 4, 2020

“Ang AntiTerrorismBill ay dapat magtanggal sa akin ng takot sa banta ng terorismo,” he said. “Ngunit kung depektibo o kulang sa kalinawan ang pagkakalahad nito ay maaaring magresulta ito sa pangaabuso ng autoridad na syang nagbibigay sa akin ng malaking takot na baka matanggalan ako ng mga karapatan at kalayaan.”

(The anti-terrorism bill should remove fears from the threat of terrorism. But if its presentation is defective or lacks clarity, then it could result in abuse of authority, which gives me immense fear that I could be stripped of rights and freedom.)

He appealed to lawmakers, “[S]ana’y bigyan [n’yo] ng atensyon at halaga ang aming mga pangamba bago [n’yo] tuluyang pagdesisyunan ang batas na ito.”

(I hope you give attention and importance to our apprehensions before you decide on this law.)

“ANG KAILANGAN NG MGA PILIPINO SA NGAYON AY MAKARAMDAM NG PROTEKSYON AT DI NG ANUMANG URI NG TAKOT,” he stressed and used the hashtag #JunkTerrorBill.

(What Filipinos need now is to feel protected, instead of feeling fear in whatever form.)

The bill replaces the Human Security Act, with suspected terrorists facing up to 24 days in jail without a warrant of arrest, instead of three days in current laws. It also removes the provision of payment of P500,000 damages per day of detention of any person acquitted of terrorism charges. JB

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