Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Thursday (Sept. 17) he has begun reviewing the draft of the implementing rules and regulations of the Republic Act 11479, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
(TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Yesterday I already got the first draft of the IRR,” Guevarra disclosed during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“So I am going to review and examine the first draft and make the necessary changes or edits if necessary,” he said.
Afterwards, the secretary said “we are going to submit the initial draft of the IRR to the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) immediately for their consideration.”
If there are no changes will be made by the ATC on the draft IRR, Guevarra “this will be ready for promulgation I hope before its deadline before the middle of October.”
The secretary explained that under the law the IRR should be promulgated 90 days after RA 11479 took effect last July.
Guevarra earlier pointed out the need to carefully draft the IRR considering that there are over 30 petitions which have been filed before the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Law.
“We are trying also to address kung ano sinasabi nila na kulang o malabo in the law (We are trying to address the complaints of the petitioners concerning what the law lacked and the unclear provisions),” he previously stated.
“Those that can be remedied through the IRR, then we will do so,” he added.