A network of non-government organizations has called for an urgent review of the Anti-Terrorism Act after several activists and groups were accused and charged as “terrorists”.
The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) accused the government of “weaponizing” the law against political activists and dissenters.
“The government said that the law targets terrorists such as the ISIL (ISIS)-linked Abu Sayyaf fighters in the southern Philippines. However, it is being used against human rights defenders, activists, and development workers advocating for fundamental political and economic reforms”, said Liza Maza, spokesperson of the group.
Rights group Karapatan documented at least 49 individuals who were arrested and detained under the Marcos Jr administration and that there is “an increase” to the use of the anti-terror law against rights activists.
Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan said the use of the law to silence activists “has become a pattern”.
On June 26, the rights group received a copy of a subpoena summoning Ken Rementilla, regional coordinator of Anakbayan Southern Tagalog, and Jasmin Rubia, secretary-general of Mothers and Children for the Protection of Human Rights (MCPHR).
The two activists accused of violating Section 12 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), or providing material support to terrorists.
Karapatan said Rementilla and Rubia are the 10th and 11th victims of the State’s “legal offensive” against political dissent in the Southern Tagalog region since the anti-terror law was enacted in 2020.
CPDG blamed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict for the series of attacks against activists. It said the anti-communist task force “is at the forefront” of a systematic campaign to persecute political dissenters.
“There is now a good amount of evidence that the Anti-Terrorism Law is being used to attack human rights defenders and development workers and used to silence dissent and legitimate people’s demands,” said lawyer Josalee Deinla, secretary general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers.
There were at least 37 petitions to declare the Anti-Terrorism Law unconstitutional submitted before the Supreme Court, which were all scrapped due to “lack of evidence” that the law threatens rights defenders.
The law was also used to block websites of 27 organizations including the two alternative media outfits.
Maza reminded Marcos Jr of his election promise “to respect human rights and vow to ensure a high level of accountability”.
“This will only be realized if the President will heed the calls of the people for just peace, revoke [repressive laws], and implement human rights-based and people-centered development policies,” she said. – with reports from Bulatlat.com
