By Jeffrey Damicog  An organization of lawyers has expressed its opposition against the passage of the proposed anti-terrorism law which it fears would enable the government to target critics, including members of the media. “If enacted, the new anti-terrorism bill will become the most potent weapon the government can use to stifle dissent,” the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) said in a statement about Senate Bill No. 1083, which seeks to strengthen government measures against terrorism and repeal Republic Act (RA) No. 9372, the Human Security Act of 2007. Among its many concerns over the bill, the NUPL pointed out the bill would “broaden the powers already granted to law-enforcement agencies under the Human Security Act, enabling them to conduct lengthier surveillance operations, wiretap and record private communications, access databases, examine bank records, and freeze the assets of persons and organizations suspected of financing terrorism or having connections with alleged terrorists.” “Worse, S.B. 1083 would also authorize the military to carry out surveillance activities previously reserved only for the police,” it added. Under the proposed law, the group also said “military personnel and other law-enforcement agents would also be allowed to carry out warrantless arrests and detain suspected terrorists for an initial period of up to 14 days, extendable for another 10 days – a significant increase from the three-day maximum period for detention permitted under the Human Security Act.” It lamented that “those arrested and detained without warrants would not even have the benefit of being presented before a judge, as the bill removed, with no justification, this safeguard written into RA 9372.” The NUPL said the bill also “expands the already-vague definition for ‘terrorism’ under the Human Security Act, with no clear parameters that could limit its application” and “criminalizing acts which have, traditionally, been considered legitimate exercises of free speech, freedom of expression, the right of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.” The bill also removes from RA 9372 the monetary reward of P500,000 for each day of detention to those acquitted of terrorism charges. The NUPL added that the bill also removed other provisions imposing penalties on law-enforcers responsible for abuses.