REIGN OF TERROR? In a recent address, PRRD ordered authorities to detain, or worse, to shoot dead individuals who cause disorder, who he simply refers to as the leftists. But can the leftists be automatically considered as threats to national security like terrorists?

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The threat of being tagged as terrorists is what activist groups or organizations critical against the government have been facing. It is their right to organize and express opinions, in their defense.

However, the Senate has passed an Anti-Terrorism Bill that might harm them.

Among other articles, the bill includes several provisions that give the government a leverage to tag critics, activists, or leftists as terrorists.

The passage of bill into law will have repurcussions according to experts. Aside from alleged infrigement on right to privacy, the bill broadens the definition of terrorism, potentially considering speeches that are critical against the government and mass protests terroristic.

Although the DILG spokesperson assured that legal activist groups would be differentiated from rebel terrorist groups, he cited that some legal fronts like rights watchdog Karapatan, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, and some lumad schools are tagged as communist-terrorists.

Now that the voices of dissent are being muzzled by the administration, it is important to be informed about the legal basis that can pave the way to silence democracy.

Sources