With a vote of 16-2 favoring the “Yes," Republic Act 9372, more commonly known as the Human Security Act or the Anti-Terror Bill, authored by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, was passed by the Senate last February 8, 2007. In March 6, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called for a special meeting of the House wherein she signed the bill into a law. And finally last July 15, RA 9372 was implemented.
According to Anti-Terrorism Task Force Spokesman Ricardo Blancaflor, RA 9372 was created to primarily address the problem of terrorism in the country. The HSA is actually the very first law in the country which is about terrorism. Under the bill, terrorism is defined as the act of “sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace in order to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand." Those who create the said fear and panic are branded as terrorists.
According to the Philippine Information Agency, other crimes covered by the law include “piracy and mutiny in the high seas, rebellion or insurrection, coup d’ etat, murder, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, violation of the laws on arson, toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear waste, atomic energy regulation, hijacking, anti-piracy and highway robbery and the laws on possession, manufacture and acquisition of firearms and ammunition. The law prescribes a penalty of 40 years in prison."
The government has assured that the provisions of the law shall be implemented in accordance with the Constitution and human rights.
Despite the assurance of the administration however, the HSA was still adversely welcomed by anti-Arroyo groups. They believed that implementing the RA is like forcing an undeclared martial law. The law’s definition of terrorism is very vague and can thus be easily modified to fit the government’s purpose.
Also, according to the said critics of the government, the provisions of the HSA directly violate human rights. From surveying possible “terrorists” to arresting them without warrants and indefinitely detaining them, the said Republic Act clearly only serves the government.
The law also allows courts to put suspected terrorists under house arrest if the evidences are not that strong, and for the police to open and seize their private accounts and freeze their assets.
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Within the very short time that the HSA was drafted, proposed, amended, approved signed and implemented, the Filipino people really did not see the law coming. Millions were shocked when news that a law on terror was created and that it was going to curtail the freedom of expression of the citizenry exploded. Activists guarded the Senate hearings and made known their protests regarding the RA. Unfortunately, the bill still did get passed with only Senators Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Mar Roxas voting against it.
People who are critical of the government are now exercising much caution with their moves but are also appealing to the masses to fight the anti-terror law. Filipinos should not be afraid of the government but instead should open their eyes to all the wrongdoings of the administration and use their rights to regain the equality and fairness in society.
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