SC will hear arguments about the petition against the anti-terrorism law in January 2021

MANILA, Philippines— The Supreme Court will conduct the oral argument on the petitions that attack the constitutionality of the Republic Law 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Law of 2020 six months after its promulgation.

Oral argument is scheduled for January 19, 2021.

The debate on the legality of the most contentious law was tentatively scheduled for September, but Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta admitted they were overwhelmed by the snowball of petitions.

The Chief Justice said they thought the petitions to be filed would be no more than 10, so they chose to wait.

To date, officially, there are 37 petitions against said law, which is almost double the petitions filed against the HR Law and the Anti-Cybercrime Law.

The higher court has already listed the essential issues to be debated, even if it is necessary to stop the implementation of the law.

The higher court also took note of the following provisions of the challenged law as part of the substantive issues to be discussed:

Section 4 – definition of terrorism;

Section 5 – threat to commit terrorism;

Section 6 – planning, training, preparation and facilitation of the commission of terrorism;

Section 9 – incitement to commit terrorism;

Section 10 – recruitment and membership in a terrorist organization;

Section 11 – foreign terrorist;

Section 12: provision of material support to terrorists.

Section 25 – designation of terrorist persons, groups of persons, organizations or associations;

Article 26 – proscription of terrorist organizations, associations or groups of people;

Section 27 – preliminary banning order

Section 29 – detention without a warrant of arrest

A preliminary conference is scheduled for November 26 to further clarify the details of the oral argument. [ac]

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