Law-abiding citizens should not fear terror law, Duterte assures

Law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear about the new antiterrorism law but those who will kill people will likely face death, President Duterte declared early Wednesday.

In his public address on state television, the President did not mince words in dealing with terrorists, saying he has a right to kill those who murder people.

It was the President’s first public remarks a few days after he signed Republic Act No. 11479 or the Antiterrorism Act of 2020 despite strong opposition from rights advocates and other groups.

“For the law-abiding citizen of this country, I am addressing you with all sincerity. Huwag kayong matakot kung hindi ka terorista kung hindi mo sisirain ang gobyerno, pasabugin mo ang simbahan, pasabugin mo ‘yung public utilities, pasabugin mo just to derail para matumba tuloy ang bayan (You don’t have to fear if you are not a terrorist, if you don’t destroy government, blow up a church, blow up public utilities just to derail, to make the nation fall),” the President said in his taped public address.

“Pag pinatay mo ang mga tao, papatayin talaga kita. Anak ka ng... ipusta mo yan sa libingan ng tatay at nanay mo. If you do that people, if you kill them wantonly then I will take it as a right to kill you,” he said.

He also said the government has the right to defend the nation if terrorists will bomb churches and markets.

The President said he expects the law will be challenged before the Supreme Court. But he insisted that the government needs the legal weapon to effectively fight terrorism in the country.

The new law, signed last July 3, repeals the Human Security Act of 2007 and strengthens the government’s arsenal in combating terrorism.

The law allows the detention of terror suspect up to 24 days without the filing of charge, and creates a council that can designate a person or group as suspected terrorists that can be subjected to arrests and surveillance. It penalizes those who threaten, plan, conspire, propose, and incite to commit terrorism.

It defines terrorism as acts intending to cause death or injury, damage to government or private property and critical infrastructure or use weapons to “spread a message of fear,” provoke or intimidate the government, destabilize or destroy the country’ political, economic or social structures, or create a public emergency or undermine public safety.

Some groups have opposed the antiterrorism bill amid concerns it might be used to curb civil liberties and target government critics.