Fund To Lure Lawmakers To Approve Anti-Terrorism Bill

DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 18 Feb) - The Anakpawis Party list expressed alarm Sunday over the holding of a special session in Congress to lure lawmakers to approve the controversial anti-terror bill in exchange for political funds.

It said the special session set on Monday would also coincide with the release of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for members of the Congress, particularly politicians allied with President Gloria Arroyo.

It feared the fund would be used in the May elections.

"Malacañang will move heaven and earth just to ratify the anti-terrorism bill only to have legal basis for its repressive policies and other forms of attacks against its vocal critics," Editha Duterte, the party’s spokesperson for Southern Mindanao, said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

Unable to muster a quorum before the Congress recessed two weeks ago, Duterte said Malacañang is bribing lawmakers to approve and ratify so-called pending important bills, including the anti-terrorism bill also called the Human Security Act of 2007.

Duterte said that Malacañang promised to give the lawmakers their PDAF during Monday’s special session.

PDAF is the appropriation of funds by Congress for the lawmakers' various projects around, but many party list and opposition members said Malacañang is withholding the release of their own funds.

"Mrs. Arroyo and her cohorts in Congress like De Venecia, Prospero Pichay and Prospero Nograles will rather buy the legislators principles and trample the people's democratic rights just to succumb to the United States government's relentless prodding of ratifying the anti-terrorism bill," Duterte said.

Anakpawis maintains that the bill is designed to terrorize legitimate dissenters and is Draconian in nature as it violates the Philippine Constitution. “It is a blueprint of the US Patriot Act, allegedly designed to counter terrorism and defend its citizens, but has been widely opposed by the US citizens for its repressive measures,” she said.

According to the Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (CODAL), the Senate version of anti-terrorism bill, which was adapted by the Lower House during the Bicameral Committee, 'contains more repressive provisions on surveillance, opening and freezing of accounts, and other threats on civil liberties which may be used by the executive to persecute dissenters,' she said.

“Most of the provisions are not only constitutionally infirm but also violates the international human rights law and the principles of international criminal law, which makes the Senate version worse than the House bill, or any other law in Philippine legal history,” Duterte said.

Aside from Anakpawis, the party list groups Bayan Muna and Gabriela, have been consistent in opposing the anti-terrorism bill.

"We are urging the people to challenge their district representatives to vote NO for the ratification of the anti-terrorism bill as the Filipino people's democratic rights are at stake here. We must reject this bill, both in the halls of Congress and in the streets," Duterte urged. (Mindanao Examiner)