PNP Assures Public: No Abuse Of Anti-Terror Law

The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday assured the public that law enforcers would not abuse the controversial Anti-Terror Law, which President Duterte signed into law on Friday.

- Emmanuel Tupas

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said there are safeguards in the implementation of the law as some sectors raised concern that the administration might use the law to silence its critics.

“The PNP assures (the public) that it will not be abused and we shall faithfully uphold all institutional mechanisms that provide safeguards to its implementation,” Banac said in a statement.

A provision of Republic Act 11479 of particular concern allows law enforcement agencies to detain suspected terrorists up to 24 days without formal charges.

Banac said people have nothing to fear as the law is only focused on addressing the threat of terrorism posed by extremist groups such as the Abu Sayyaf and not government critics.

He added lawmakers who authored the law have put in place safety nets to prevent the PNP and other law enforcement agencies from committing abuses.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said there would be no abuse by state forces implementing the Anti-Terror Law.

He said the law is important in the administration’s approach against terrorism.

“The Department of the Interior and Local Government will not allow this law to be abused and it will be used judiciously only for the purpose for which it was enacted – to defeat communist terrorists and violent extremists once and for all. We repeat that only the terrorist should fear this law and law-abiding and peaceful citizens have nothing to fear,” he added.

Sen. Pan lo Lacson, one of the authors of the law, warned that law enforcers who commit abuses in the implementation of the measure can be punished with 10 years in prison.