A Second Look at The Anti-Terrorism Bill

Professor Theodore Te was the Guest Speaker in a webinar held recently by the Makati Chapter of the IBP on the Anti-Terrorism Bill pending in Malacañang.  He presented a critical overview of the bill that has the legal community concerned about the unconstitutionality of certain of its provisions.

The present law that governs the subject matter of ATB is the Human Security Act of 2007. Professor Te who teaches Criminal Law at UP, discussed some of the provisions of this law that have been deleted or modified in the ATB passed by both Houses of Congress, and commented on their impact on protected rights of individuals and organizations . He also presented and discussed some new provisions in the ATB that affect such rights, the most disconcerting being Sec. 29 on Detention without judicial warrant of arrest that clearly goes beyond the pale of the 1987 Constitution.  Under this provision (1) the executive branch exercises a judicial power;  and (2) the period of detention of a suspect  is “longer than the Constitution allows during a period when the writ of habeas corpus is suspended”, which is  three days  In concluding  Professor Te posed  the question: “Can this be allowed?”.

Atty. Rodrick Salazar, VP of the Makati Chapter of the IBP introduced the guest speaker and the Panel of Discussants. Professor Salazar lectures on corporate law, partnership, agency and trust and property law, negotiable instruments law and sales at the UP College of Law.

The webinar can be accessed at :  https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=600252220696702&external_log_id=c6e02813-1f12-4306-9fdf-d14da2604412