Contrary to popular belief, critics of the government will still be able to conduct mass demonstrations to air their grievances even after the signing of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. clarified on Monday.

However, Esperon said groups must adhere to the Batas Pambansa Bilang 880 or the Public Assembly Act of 1985 which, according to him, requires groups or individuals to secure permits first before staging a protest.

"Pwede tayo magrally, pwede pa rin maging aktibista. Bakit hindi? Pero ang mga rally ay kailangan may permit. Alam naman natin na mayroon tayong Batas Pambansa 880 or the Public Assembly Act of 1985 na kailangan kumuha ka ng permit (We can still hold a rally, we can still be activists. Why not? However, a permit should be secured first. We all know that we have the Batas Pambansa 880 or the Public Assembly Act of 1985 wherein one is required to get a permit)," he said in a television interview over GMA-7's Unang Hirit.

Further, Esperon claimed that critics could not just outright conduct a rally without having a permit as it may result to a state of lawlessness.

"Mahirap naman kung wala kang permit dahil talagang magkakaroon ng kaguluhan at anarchy kung kanya-kanyang rally na lang dyan. No permit, no rally. 'Yan ang policy natin hanggang ngayon (It will be difficult if you stage a protest without a permit because it will result to disorderliness and anarchy. No permit, no rally. That's our policy until now)," he added.

Section 4 of the Public Assembly Act of 1985, it states that "a written permit shall be required for any person or persons to organize and hold a public assembly in a public place."

However, it added that no permit shall be required if the public assembly was done or made "in a freedom park duly established by law or ordinance, or in a private property in which case only the consent of the owner or one of the entitled to its legal possession is required, or in the campus of a government-owned and operated educational institution."

Critics of the Anti-Terrorism Act expressed fears that it may be abused by law enforcers and used to stifle dissent.

Security officials, including Esperon himself, however assured that the law has enough safeguards in place to prevent its abuse and misuse.

Esperon earlier said that law-abiding citizens have nothing to worry about since the law is created to run after terrorists, and not government critics.

He then went on to say that critics "could be supporters of terrorists" that's why they did not want the law to be implemented.