DILG chief on anti-terror law: ‘We owe this to victims of terrorism’

FLE – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — “We owe this law to the countless victims of terrorism.”

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año on Saturday said this after President Rodrigo Duterte recently signed the controversial anti-terror bill into law.

Año said the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 would ensure justice for victims who were killed due to terrorist attacks.

“And who would forget the Marawi Siege and Zamboanga Siege where many lives were lost because of terror attacks? This law is the country’s assurance that justice will finally be served,” Año said in a statement.

Año reiterated that the anti-terror law will not be abused as it will only punish communist terrorists and violent extremists.

“The DILG will not allow this law to be abused and it will be used judiciously only for the purpose for which it was enacted — defeat the communist terrorists and violent extremists once and for all. We repeat that only the terrorists should fear this law and all law-abiding and peaceful citizens have nothing to fear,” he said.

In another statement, The Philippine National Police vowed that it “will faithfully uphold all institutional mechanisms that provide safeguards” once the law is implemented.

On Friday, Duterte approved the anti-terror law which is aimed to punish those who will propose, incite, conspire, participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terrorist act; including those who will provide material support to terrorists, and recruit members in a terrorist organization.

Before the law was signed, progressive groups, human rights groups and other critics continuously opposed the passage of the law as it might be abused to stop dissent.

CFC