Development and humanitarian workers have asked the Supreme Court to void the law that expanded terror crimes in the country.
Coordinating Council for People’s Development and Governance, Inc. led the plaintiffs that also included Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, and Ibon Foundation, Inc.
In a 95-page pleading, the petitioners said the Anti-Terrorism Act will “seriously hinder” them from continuing development work because it legitimizes harrasments experienced by many of its members, some of whom have been tagged as communists, abducted and summarily executed.
They said attacks on civil society have grown during the pandemic and even humanitarian relief groups aiding in the health crisis had been detained.
“With R.A. 11479 in effect, the CPDG expects more violations of human rights taking place with warrantless arrests and crackdown on activists and red-tagged groups,” according to a copy of the lawsuit. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas