STRONGER STAND | Activists, groups renew calls to junk Anti-Terrorism Law after SC decision

December 9, 2021 , 03:29 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(December 9, 2021) – Various organizations on Thursday revived calls to void the Anti-Terrorism Law in full after the Supreme Court only declared two provisions of the controversial legislation as unconstitutional, raising the dangerous repercussions this might entail.

Kapatid, an organization of political prisoners’ friends and families, described the decision as “self-contradictory,” noting how the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) can use the high court’s ruling to escalate the attacks against progressive groups.

“The Supreme Court better be prepared for the carnage it will legalize as its decision can provide virtual license for the NTF-ELCAC to stage larger and bloodier punitive actions to crush targeted left organizations and individuals before (President Rodrigo) Duterte’s term ends,” said Kapatid.

Kabataan echoed a similar sentiment as it pointed out how authorities have already used the Anti-Terrorism Law to stifle dissent. Manuel also stressed that the Supreme Court’s decision further “cements” the iron-fisted rule and impunity under Duterte’s administration.

“Tiyak na gagamitin ang Terror Law para tatakan bilang ‘terorista’ at supilin ang lahat ng mangahas na magsalita laban sa kasalukuyang mga patakaran, pati ang mga karibal sa halalan. Ito ay sandatang batas ni Duterte at sinumang uupo sa puwesto upang kumapit sa poder,” said Kabataan president Raoul Manuel.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court voided the vague part of the controversial law that may categorize dissent as a form of terrorism under certain conditions. It also rendered as unconstitutional the portion that allows the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) to designate groups and individuals as terrorists per the request of another country.

[MUST-READ: ‘PARTIAL VICTORY’ | Supreme Court declares two provisions of Anti-Terror Law as unconstitutional]

Atty. Tony La Viña, a former dean of the Ateneo School of Government, said striking down of the stipulation in Section 4 was a “small but important victory.” He, however, recognized that it was still “a big defeat for human rights” since the other contentious provisions were upheld.

Senatorial aspirant Atty. Neri Colmenares, one of the oralists, agreed that the decision was a victory. He pointed out that the ruling can help “protect our civil and political rights from overreach of such a draconian and dangerous law.”

Small but important victory in a big defeat for human rights. The declaration of unconstitutionality of the provision in Section 4 – which defined terrorism as including constitutionally protected acts when it leads to certain outcomes – is a big victory for the petitioners.

— Tony La Viña (@tonylavs) December 9, 2021

The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 has essentially excluded advocacy, protest, dissent, stoppage of work, industrial or mass action, and other similar exercises of civil and political rights from the scope of the law. (THREAD 1/6)

— Neri Colmenares (@ColmenaresPH) December 9, 2021

Many activists also expressed their sentiments online as they register their call to fully junk the highly challenged law. “Anti-Terror Law” and “Section 4” found their way to the top trending topics on Twitter.

Declared as unconstitutional ang ilan sa parte ng Sec. 4 ng ATL, ngunit sa kabuuan, namamayagpag pa rin ang ATL na ginagamit ng berdugong si Duterte upang maghasik ng state terror sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino.

Dapat ibasura ang kabuuan ng batas na ito!#JunkTerrorLaw

— coleen mari #JoinNUSP (@colecoleeeen) December 9, 2021

With NTF-ELCAC in full power and the ATL threatening us, how can we ensure that we really are SAFE and SECURED? This is how abolishing NTF-ELCAC is BIG DEAL to us, because the ATL can be used as a weapon against dissenters or merely individuals! #JunkTerrorLaw #AbolishNTFELCAC

— Bea #AbolishNTFELCAC (@btrzkji) December 9, 2021

Napagnilayan ko rn na dahil sa panaka-nakang desisyon ng Korte Suprema na, sa legal, sobrang palaisipan at pagsubok para sa batayang masa na ipaliwanag ang kanilang paninindigan laban sa Terror Law.

Tunay nga, ang mga batas ng Pilipinas ay ‘di aksesible sa masa#JunkTerrorLaw! https://t.co/Cu2iUoEPNr

— Kej Andrés #IHRD2021 #JunkTerrorLaw #SCMPat61 (@TheKejOfGlory) December 9, 2021

For the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, the Supreme Court’s decision must push the public to take a stronger stand against the Anti-Terrorism Law.

“We saw how they weaponized this to further attack critics and the press in its first year of implementation. We are currently seeing how they utilize this to demonize the opposition, and if this would continue, we would see more and worse in the future,” said the group.

(PM)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.