MARAWI BOMBING NAHARANG SANA NG ANTI-TERROR ACT

INAMIN ni Senador Panfilo Lacson na hindi sana naganap ang madugo at mapanirang pambobom­ba sa Marawi noong 2017 kung umiiral na noon ang iminungkahing Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 na may malinaw at mabibigat na probisyon laban sa terorismo.

Ito ang isiniwalat  ni Lacson, sponsor ng naturang panukala,  sa ginanap na online forum ng League of Provinces of the Philippines.

Ayon sa senador, kung noon pa ay may mas matapang na batas na laban sa terorismo, siguradong mapipigilan ang karahasan at nailigtas ang maraming buhay at ari-arian.

“Had this measure been in effect earlier instead of the 2007 Human Security Act, the Marawi siege could have been prevented. For one, a new feature under this bill is to make punishable inchoate offenses, something not present under the present Human Security Act of 2007,” pag-amin ni Lacson.

“An inchoate offense is a preparatory act punishable even if the desired result of such act has not occurred yet, thus making it an independent crime itself. Section 6 of the Anti-Terrorism Bill thus penalizes planning, training, preparing and facilitating the commission of terrorism, which are acts performed towards the accomplishment of the desired purpose, which is terrorism,” paliwanag pa nito.

Sinabi pa ni Lacson, ang isa pang mas matapang na probisyon ng Anti-Terror Bill ay ang mekanismong pipigil sa mga terorista sa pag-access sa kanilang bank accounts, sa pamamagitan ng pag-freeze rito.

“While we have already the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, it has no mechanism to prevent terrorist financing. The Anti-Terrorism Bill has a mechanism to trigger a freeze order by the Anti-Money Laundering Council upon the request of the Anti-Terrorism Council,” giit ni Lacson.

“Such provisions in the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 allow law enforcers to act proactively and nip terrorism in the bud,” dagdag pa nito.

Sa ilalim ng Anti-Terror Bill, hindi na rin umano masasayang ang mga intelligence report na  nakakalap ng mga awtoridad laban sa mga nagnanais maghasik ng karahasan at terorismo. VICKY CERVALES