The Supreme Court (SC) has been asked on Saturday, July 4, to issue a temporary restraining order or writ of injunction that would halt the enforcement of the Anti-Terrorism law due its unconstitutional provisions.
This was sought by a group of lawyers led by Ateneo and La Salle law professor Atty. Howard Calleja in a petition they filed before the SC via e-mail. Petitioners will also physically file hard copies of the petition on Monday, July 6.
The lawyer warned the Anti-Terrorism law could be “used by the government to weaponize itself for state-sponsored repression that makes a mockery of the rule of law.”
After President Duterte signed into law the anti-terrorism measure on Friday, July 3, Calleja said “separation of powers of government and the checks and balances are slowly being dismantled in the guise of public welfare and security.”
“Through the Anti-Terrorism Law, the President, with Congress, has paved the way for a legal framework that would allow the government to go against its own people,” the lawyer explained.
“The Anti-Terrorism Law effectively strengthened the powers of the Executive by granting powers inherent in the Judiciary, making the Executive the judge, jury, and executioner,” he added.
Aside from Calleja, the other petitioners are Atty. Joseph Peter J. Calleja, University of the Philippines law professor Christopher John P. Lao, Dr. Reynaldo J. Echavez, Napoleon L. Siongco, Raeyan M. Reposar, Bro. Armin Luistro of the De La Salle Brothers, Inc., and civic groups Frontliners: Tunay na Bayani and Bagong Siklab Pilipinas.
In the petition, the SC has been asked declare as “null and void, Sections 3,4,5,9,10,16,17,25,26,29, and 54 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, for being repugnant to the 1987 Philippine Constitution.”
The high tribunal has also been asked to issue a TRO or injunctions against the law starting July 19 and prohibit “all Respondents or any person, entity, member, officer, employee, representative or agent acting singly or collectively with them, from enforcing the above-mentioned sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
***