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PHILIPPINE TERROR BILL AN ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY

NEWS RELEASE
05 April 2006

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
Tels: 9316268, 9315001 loc7230; Jang Monte
(Public Information Officer) 0917-8226635

LEGAL MONSTROSITY PASSED ON GMA’S BIRTHDAY;
GMA NEEDS TERROR BILL TO STAY IN POWER –MAZA

“She must be very happy. Congress has given her the additonal legal ammunition she needs to cling on to power,” thus said GABRIELA Women’s Partylist Representative Liza Largoza Maza.

Voting NO to the Terror legislation, Maza said the bill will provide a legal infrastructure for the Arroyo regime’s persecution and attacks on the opposition. “With the terror bill, things are bound to get worse for those who choose to voice out opinions contrary to the administration. This practically bans any form of opposition in this country.”

“After Proclamation 1017, Calibrated Pre-emptive Response, EO 464 and EO 511, this terror legislation adds to the growing list of repressive measures that Mrs. Arroyo has implemented in order to sustain her weakening regime.”

According to Maza, “The terror bill which purportedly targets acts of terrorism, trains its guns on legitimate expressions of dissent. Its deliberately overbroad, superflous and vague definition inevitably gives the Arroyo regime the power to identify individuals as terrorists for peaceful activities in consonance with their advocacies and political beliefs. Mere association or membership in proscribed organizations or suspicion can even result to arbitarary detention without charges for 72 hours.”

The Gabriela solon likewise said, a provision of the proposed legislation which punishes those who fail to disclose knowledge of any acts of terrorism, can be used against members of the media who will in turn be compelled to reveal all their sources and thus impede the delivery of news and information. “This is an attack on the freedom of the press.”

“We hope the Senate extensively debates on this measure and see it for what it really is: a resurrection of Martial Law, a death sentence for democracy, an iron crutch for a regime rocked by issues of corruption and legitimacy.” ###

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The House of Representatives passed at around 1:00 AM today, on third and final reading, the Anti-Terrorism Bill. Please find below Gabriela Women's Partylist Representative Liza Maza's manifestation of NO Vote on HB4839.

MANIFESTATION OF ‘NO’ VOTE ON HOUSE BILL # 4839 - “An Act Defining terrorism, Establishing Institutional Mechanisms to Prevent and Suppress its Commission, Providing Penalties therefore and for other Purposes.”

I vote “no”, Mr. Speaker, to House Bill #4839.

This so-called anti-terrorism bill is a fascist piece of legislation. Together with Proclamation 1017, the Calibrated Pre-emptive Response or CPR, Executive orders 464 and 511, this bill harkens us back to the dark days of martial law where absolutely no opposition is allowed. Not from us, not from you, fellow legislators.

If we allow this anti-terrorism bill to pass muster, it will operate under conditions where there already exist serious threats to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people such as the right to assembly, to association, to privacy, to file redresses for grievances, to speech and expression, and extra judicial killings.

If we pass this bill, Mr. Speaker, we will be creating a legal monstrosity as this bill will provide the cloak of legality to these fascist attacks on our freedoms. In fact, Mr. Speaker, this bill has contributions of its own to these attacks on our rights and freedoms, most notably, Mr. Speaker, the sections on proscription and membership in terrorist organization.

This bill is deeply flawed, Mr. Speaker. Its terms are overbroad and vague, superfluous and overextended. This legal ambiguity will put together the ordinary rogues with the political activist and persecute the innocent. It will complement this government’s assault on legitimate political activities.

This bill, which purportedly aims to prevent terrorist acts, is actually against attaining peace and security. It criminalizes national liberation movements. It fails to respect legitimate acts of groups involved in an armed conflict under the standards of international humanitarian law. It seeks to prosecute persons and groups who do acts in furtherance of their political beliefs.

Yet this bill only pays lip service on terrorism committed by the State and agents of the State. Worse, this bill endorses the modus operandi of the likes of Palparan by cutting off all avenues of peaceful protest by threats of being branded as terrorist organization.

While there is an international trend that rejects the anti-terrorism framework of US President Bush, this bill, shamelessly peddles it. Lastly, the unholy haste by which this House is bent on passing this bill is surpassed only by the haste to pass Charter Change.

Mr. Speaker, the passage of this bill will only exacerbate the deep political crisis in the country. The anti-terror law will be President Arroyo’s contribution to fascism as Martial Law is President Marcos’. #