The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) lambasted the moves in Congress to again revive the anti-terrorism bill. According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group, “this bill is a patently Marcosian and it is like opening Pandora’s box once this is legislated. It will bring forth the dawn of the dark ages, when this comes true but we will not allow that to happen,”

“Under the current bills in Congress any opposition or protest of the people against the government or persons of authority can be labeled and charged as terrorism, which can be penalized by lifetime incarceration. It also expands the powers of the police and the military for surveillance, arrest and imprison groups and individuals. These powers as we know are abused now, what more if it is expanded? It also rides roughshod on civil liberties like the right to liberty; right to free speech, assembly and association; right to privacy; guarantee of the presumption of innocence; due process and equal protection of the law and freedom against unreasonable searches and seizures,” expounded the peasant leader.

“This will only make matters worse for the human rights situation in our country. This will also make legal and democratic organizations and individuals targets of more persecution and harassment,” added Ramos.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP “Congress as well as the Senate cannot even agree on the exact definition of terrorism, how can they think of even writing a bill about it. But as indications from their working definitions, the term is very vague and is open to very different interpretations. Even sneezing on a train or bus may be taken as a terrorist act under Senate Bill 2540 and House Bill 5923,”

“Besides it is not true that we do not have laws to combat it, actually there are enough laws, but what is important in combating criminality is the political will of the state and not pass another half-baked and repressive measure. This bill will also present a case of “double jeopardy” for those who will be charged with it because the penal code already provides that they be charged with criminal charges but is further compounded by the anti-terror bill,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 18 February 2005