Malacañang on Thursday thanked those who filed a petition before the Supreme Court to junk the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 because it will shed light on the constitutionality of the measure.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement as the number of petitions to junk the measure rose to 15 on Thursday.
Roque said the Palace welcomes all the petitions against the ATA.
"We welcome all these petitions. After all, it is the Supreme Court that will uphold the supremacy of the Constitution," he said.
"So maraming salamat din po sa kanila dahil mabibigyan ng linaw kung talagang labag sa Saligang Batas itong bagong batas laban sa terorismo (So we also thank them because their petitions will determine if this new law is really unconstitutional)," he added.
President Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11479 or the ATA early this month despite calls to junk it because of supposedly unconstitutional provisions that violate human rights and are prone to abuse.
Roque had earlier said that Malacanang will let the Supreme Court decide on the legal challenges against the measure and will respect whatever its ruling may be.
He said that the signing of the law demonstrated the government's commitment to stamp out terrorism, which "has long plagued the country and has caused unimaginable grief and horror to many of our people."
Four more petitions were filed against the law before the Supreme Court on Thursday, bringing the total number to 15 which is as many as the number of Supreme Court justices.
Retired Justices Antonio Carpio and Conchita Carpio Morales filed petitions to junk the ATA.
Read more: 15 petitions filed in SC vs. Anti-Terror Law