Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos-Recto and Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda. INQUIRER and FACEBOOK FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — Two ranking lawmakers in the House of Representatives have denied authorship of the controversial Anti-Terror Bill which the lower chamber just approved.
In a Twitter post, Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda said she never signed a co-authorship form for House Bill No. 6875 or the Anti-Terror Bill.
“Just to clarify: I never signed a co-author form re anti-terror bill. In fact, I voted no to the measure,” Legarda said.
Just to clarify: I never signed a co author form re anti terror bill. In fact, I voted no to the measure.
— Loren Legarda (@loren_legarda) June 3, 2020
A netizen replied to Legarda’s tweet with a screenshot of the lawmaker’s inclusion in the list of the principal authors of the bill.
#JUNKTERRORBILLNOW pic.twitter.com/NjL7KYh5Db
— Roentgen (@ronaldgem) June 3, 2020
But as of writing, Legarda’s name can no longer be seen in the list available on the website of the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, actor Luis Manzano shared a message from his mother, Deputy Speaker Vilma Santos-Recto, who also said that she is not a principal author of the Anti-Terror Bill.
Santos-Recto, however, said that she was in favor of the bill “with reservations.”
“I am not a principal author of House Bill No. 6975. I’m in favor of it WITH RESERVATIONS. I have concern about the country’s national security policy,” Santos-Recto said in a message as shared by Manzano.
“I just hope that the law enforcement agencies will implement it in accordance with the Constitution, full respect to human rights and without any abuse whatsoever,” she added.
https://twitter.com/luckymanzano/status/1268146063065493510
Earlier, Muntinlupa City. Rep. Ruffy Biazon, one of the main authors of the Anti-Terror Bill, withdrew his authorship of the measure and even voted against its passage.
Biazon said that the House should “come up with an important piece of legislation that is truly the work of the House of Representatives” and not just adopt the work of the Senate.
Despite facing controversy, the lower chamber approved on final reading Anti-Terror Bill with 173 affirmative votes, 31 negative votes, and 29 abstentions.
The proposed bill penalizes those who will propose, incite, conspire, participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terrorist act; as well as those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit members in a terrorist organization.