The draft implementing rules of and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 was approved on Wednesday, Oct. 14, by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.
(TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO /MANILA BULLETIN)
“The ATC has approved today the IRR of the ATL (Anti-Terrorism Law) crafted by a technical group led by the DOJ,” said Guevarra who is also a member of the ATC.
“We will disseminate copies to the Congress and to law enforcement agencies as required under the law, and will publish the IRR online and in two newspaper of general circulation in the next few days,” he added.
Guevarra noted that the IRR will become “effective upon publication and registration with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at UP (University of the Philippines) Diliman.”
“Online publication and registration with the ONAR can be done by Friday,” he said.
While, the IRR could be published by this weekend in two newspapers.
Under RA 11479, the DOJ and ATC have to come out with the IRR within 90 days since the law took effect in July.
The DOJ formed a team back in July to draft the IRR which included inputs from the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Guevarra earlier pointed out the need to come out with a carefully crafted IRR considering that there many pending petitions which questioned the Anti-Terrorism Law before the Supreme Court (SC).
The SC disclosed recently that there are 37 petitions which have been filed seeking to nullify the entire law or some of its provisions for being unconstitutional.
The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), on behalf of the government officials named as respondents in the petitions, has already asked the high tribunal to dismiss the petitions.