THE social action arm of the Diocese of Borongan appealed to the province’s representative in Congress to withdraw her vote for the proposed anti-terrorism measure.
In an open letter to Rep. Maria Fe Abunda, the Diocesan Commission on Social Action, Justice and Peace said the passage of the law is tantamount to “committing the Sin of Omission that is no different from actually hurting our people.”
The commission “humbly appealed” to the legislator’s “innate sense of goodness and love for your people, especially the poor and the innocents” to withdraw her vote for the bill.
Several members of the House of Representatives have already withdrawn their vote following adverse reactions from various sectors, including religious leaders.
The church body said it is “by all means” against any terroristic act, describing it as “an abomination of the first order vis-à-vis the progress and development that we desire as a people and as a nation.”
The commission, however, said the proposed anti-terrorism measure is “not an ordinary bill.”
The commission said the proposed law “has far-reaching effects in terms of our way of life as a nation, not only now, but also in the generations to come.”
“We fully understand the predicament you are in when you voted for the passage of [the bill]. But, we believe that the majority in our district do not support such bill as certain provisions are contrary to our present Constitution,” the commission’s letter read.
The commission said there are provisions in the bill that “infringe” on the right of expression, freedom of assembly, and “expose us to the grave threats of warrantless arrest by mere suspicion.”
“The provisions are prone to abuse by the implementers of the law, especially those who have something to hide from the very law that they took an oath to protect,” added the letter.
It also noted that there are already many existing laws that “would deter terrorism without the added contentious provisions.”
