THE SUPREME Court (SC) has denied appeals to reverse its decision upholding the constitutionality of questioned provisions of the anti-terrorism law passed in 2020. 

“The Court resolved to deny the motions for reconsideration due to lack of substantial issues and arguments raised by the petitioners,” the tribunal said, based on a statement issued by the SC Public Information Office on Tuesday.   

A copy of the resolution has yet to be released.   

The constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which repealed the 2007 Human Security Act, was questioned by various sectors in more than 30 petitions filed before the country’s Highest Court.   

The petitioners said several provisions of the law were open to human rights violations and could be used against government critics.   

The Supreme Court, in a Dec. 8, 2021 ruling, declared two provisions as unconstitutional but upheld the law.   

It declared as unlawful a provision stating that a protest could be considered terrorism if it is intended to cause death or physical harm, to endanger a person’s life, or to create a serious public safety risk, citing that it was “overbroad and violative of freedom of expression.”  

It also struck down a provision that allows the country’s anti-terrorism council to adopt requests by other local as well as foreign entities to designate individuals and groups as terrorists.   

The Supreme Court said in Tuesday’s statement that its members maintained their votes in their Dec. 8, 2021 decision, which was penned by then SC Associate Justice and now Philippine Judicial Academy Chancellor Rosmari D. Carandang.   

Newly appointed SC Associate Justice and former Election Commissioner Antonio T. Kho, Jr. sided with the majority, the tribunal noted.  

“An entry of judgment was immediately ordered by the court,” it said.  

Senatorial candidate Neri J. Colmenares, one of the petitioners, told a press briefing last month that the Philippines does not need the law since the country already has existing measures to combat what the government may classify as terrorist threats. 

The country’s Anti-Money Laundering Council has said that the law is crucial to efforts in countering “dirty money” and terrorism financing.  

Karapatan, a human rights group, said in a statement on Tuesday that they “continue to assert that this law must be junked and declared unconstitutional, and we call on candidates in the upcoming elections to take a stand for people’s rights and our civil liberties by joining all freedom-loving Filipinos in ringing the call to junk the terror law.”   

Acting Presidential Spokesperson Martin M. Andanar said in a statement on Tuesday that the latest SC ruling is a “triumph for peace-loving and law-abiding Filipinos,” affirming that the country is not a safe haven for terrorists. — John Victor D. Ordoñez 

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has placed Marawi City and seven towns in southern Philippines under its control ahead of the May 9 national and local elections, according to its chairman.  

One of the seven towns is Maguing which, along with Marawi, is under Lanao del Sur province.   

The six others are in Maguindanao province: Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag, and Sultan Kudarat. 

Both provinces are within the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a historically restive area that is undergoing transition with a new political setup based on a peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.   

Comelec Chief Saidamen B. Pangarungan said in a statement on Tuesday that the decision to put these areas under their control is based on the recommendation of the police, military, and Regional Election Director Ray F. Sumalipao.  

Under the Constitution and subsequent Comelec resolutions, the election body can put an area under its control if the area has a history or intense rivalry among political parties; incidents of politically motivated violence involving candidates; the presence of private armed groups; and serious armed threats posed by terrorist groups.  

Comelec earlier amended its gun ban rules, which included giving authority to the Comelec chief to declare election areas of concern under the agency’s control.  

Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año earlier said the Philippine National Police has identified 105 towns and 15 cities as election areas of concern. — John Victor D. Ordonez 

THE CANCELLATION of the final round of official debates among the country’s top two positions casts doubt into the capability of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to manage the May 9 national and local elections, one of the vice-presidential candidates said on Tuesday.  

“There is something very fishy about what is happening in this whole affair that needs to be clarified by the Comelec because every statement it comes out with deepens the mystery of why this debate was canceled,” Partido Lakas ng Masa vice presidential bet Walden F. Bello said in an interview with CNN Philippines.  

“It calls into question the capability of the Comelec to manage the elections, it can’t even manage a simple debate like this, or it was not coincidental but was planned? I need more facts,” he said.   

Comelec on Monday said that the supposed final round of debates would be changed into a panel-interview format following Impact Hub Manila’s failure to fulfill part of its financial obligations to the venue, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. The private contractor allegedly owes the venue P14 million.  

Ang Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters ng Pilipinas (KBP), a non-profit organization of Philippine broadcast media, will be Comelec’s new partner in organizing the forum, which will be taped and edited by the election body.   

Nonetheless, Mr. Bello said he and his running mate, labor leader Leodegario “Ka Leody” Q. de Guzman, will still participate in the modified forum, noting that they appreciate every opportunity to speak to the Filipino people.  

Election Commissioner George Erwin M. Garcia told reporters in a Viber message on Monday that in consideration of scheduling conflicts, it will adopt a pre-recorded single candidate, one-hour panel interview, which will be aired between May 2 to 6.  

“This (format) is really a poor substitute because we know from the Comelec e-rallies were barely attended, and they would be lucky to get 50 people watching,” Mr. Bello said. “What we have is an event that will be hardly watched by anybody, and what worries me is this cancellation falls into what the Marcos and Duterte camp wanted.”  

The tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio skipped the first two Comelec-sponsored debates.  

Comelec is currently investigating the Impact Hub Manila fiasco, including its departments that were involved in organizing the debates. — John Victor D. Ordoñez