MANILA, Philippines — Activists staged a demonstration on Saturday in UP Diliman in Quezon City to denounce the newly-signed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
#JunkTerrorLaw indignation rally pic.twitter.com/VDhNCfBSdE
— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) July 4, 2020
A photo that Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary-General Renato Reyes shared on Twitter showed mask-wearing protesters – while observing physical distancing – in an indignation rally and demanding the immediate scrapping of the new law.
Progressive group Anakbayan also shared via Facebook the happenings during the protest.
“Mga kababayan, hindi po lingid sa ating kaalaman na itong terror law ang pinakahuling piyesa ni Duterte sa kanyang malawak na pasismo laban sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Gabriela Youth national spokesperson Clarice Palce said during the rally.
Palce added that instead of prioritizing mass testing for COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the controversial measure.
“Normal pong matakot, normal pong kabahan, pero mas kailangan ng Pilipino sa ngayon ay tumindig at makiisa,” she said.
(It’s okay to be afraid, it’s okay to be nervous, but Filipinos now need to be more assertive and participate.)
Despite widespread opposition, Duterte signed the anti-terror bill into law, which repealed the Human Security Act of 2007, on Friday, July 3.
Among others, the new law allows detention of suspected terrorists for up to 24 days without charges and criminalizes incitement of terrorism “by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners, or other representations.”
