Two more petitions challenging the alleged unconstitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 were filed with the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday, Sept. 21.
There are now 35 officially docketed petitions filed against ATA, under Republic Act No. 11479, since President Duterte signed the new law last July 3.
The 34th petition was filed by civil society groups led by the Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc., while the 35th case was lodged by women groups led by the Pagkakaisa ng Kababaihan para sa Kalayaan (KAISA KA).
There was commotion in front of the SC when KAISA KA groups filed their petition.
Policemen stopped several women who were spreading a tarpaulin in front of the SC.
Manila Police District (MPD) officer-in-charge for Ermita district Lt. Col. Alex Daniel said that before the women arrived at the SC, there had been an agreement that there would be no tarpaulins since more than one person would be needed to hold them.
Daniel also said that the women’s group violated social distancing.
Lawyer Virginia Suarez, KAISA KA chairperson, said the rally was in support of the filing of their petition. She denied the women petitioners did not observe social distancing.
“There was social distancing. But the police confiscated the tarpaulin and wanted them to leave, that was why there was a commotion. But it ended well,” Suarez said.
KAISA KA’s petitioners – all 27 women – included martial law survivor Aida Santos, journalist Kara Alikpala and writer Lualhati Bautista.
Like the 33 other docketed petitions, the two new cases wanted the SC to declare ATA null and void for alleged violations of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens.
A check with the SC showed that the High Court has not decided on whether to proceed with the oral arguments it had set for the end of this month at the earliest, or has tackled the plea of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to cancel the oral debates due to COVID-19 pandemic.
A source said the SC justices are still waiting for the recommendation on the oral arguments from the justice in charge of the case.
Once the recommendation is submitted, the SC will decide on the fate of the oral arguments it had earlier set.
In the meantime, all the respondents in the new cases will be asked by the SC to submit their comments, both on the main petitions and on the pleas for a restraining order to stop the implementation of the law that started last July 18.