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Friday July 6, 2:41 PM
Arroyo Orders Council to Lead Info Drive on Security ActMANILA, July 6 Asia Pulse - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday directed the soon-to-be formed Anti-Terror Council and Defense Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor to lead the information campaign on Republic Act 9372, commonly known as the Human Security Act, in partnership with other government agencies such as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Justice (DoJ). Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the campaign will focus not only on the provisions of the law "but its contextual backdrop - the existence of terror cells throughout our region and the world." "It is government's duty to keep our country safe to prevent terrorists from playing god with people's lives," he added.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita aid the anti-terror council is now working to complete the required documents. He said the government is prepared to comply with the stipulations of the law on publication in newspapers in designated areas and airing on television and radio stations to make the public aware of the new law. He said the government has also come up with a primer on the Anti-Terror law to be distributed all over the country. RA 9372 defines terrorism as acts 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. Under the new law, the crime of terrorism includes piracy in general or mutiny in high seas; rebellion or insurrection; coup d'etat, including acts committed by private persons; murder; kidnapping and serious illegal detention; and crimes involving destruction such as arson. The crime of terrorism is punishable by 40 years of imprisonment without the benefit of parole. President Arroyo signed the Anti-Terrorism Law on March 6 but its implementation was deferred until after the May 14 elections to allay the fears of human rights advocates and the opposition that this would be used to harass critics of the administration. To help ensure that law enforcers will not abuse their authority, provisions such as having to pay acquitted suspects P500,000 (US$10,841) in damages for every day that he/she has been detained or deprived of liberty or arrested without a warrant was included in the law. "We assure the people that there are more than enough safeguards in the HSA (Human Security Act) to curtail abuse and uphold civil liberties," Bunye said. (PNA)
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