By Ben Rosario Muntinlupa City Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon on Thursday said that his decision to withdraw as co-author of the recently-passed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 was a “personal” one and that he was not swayed into making the decision. Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon (Photo from Biazon’s Facebook account / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Biazon voted against the bill which was passed on final reading by the House of Representatives, saying that the measure no longer embodied the essence of his proposal on how a terrorist should be defined. Ang Magsasaka Partylist Rep. Argel Cabatbat also withdrew his name in the list of co-authors. He assailed the measure for containing provisions that are might implicate innocent civilians and other vulnerable sectors to terrorist activities. Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman declared that he had been fighting terrorism all his life but a law that should be relied upon to end it must be clear, far from being abused and must not be open to misinterpretation. The definition of terrorism as provided under the bill has been assailed not only by the three lawmakers but also by majority of those who voted against it. In a 173-31 vote, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 6875 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 on third and final reading. The measure was a complete copy of the Senate bill that was passed on January. In explaining his “no” vote, Biazon said he thoroughly contemplated on his decision before thumbing down the measure. Biazon, vice chairman of the House Committee on Defense and Security, said the bill needed improvement but congressmen were helpless in introducing these because the measure had to be passed en toto. What was deliberated upon by the House was actually the Senate bill that had been passed, and this was done purportedly to expedite the approval process. Adoption by the House of the Senate version precluded the need for a bicameral conference committee to thresh out possible conflicts if there had been a Senate and a House version. President Duterte certified the bill an urgent administration measure, apparently in response to the October 20,2020 deadline set by the Financial Action Task Force for the Philippines to enforce a stronger anti-terrorism law. Biazon pointed out that the definition of terrorism under the bill is “vulnerable to misinterpretation” and might put innocent parties in danger. Under the bill, the Anti-Terrorism Council is empowered to determine probable cause in determining whether or not a suspect is a terrorism. According to Biazon determination of probable cause falls under the authority of a prosecutor or the court. He also stressed that the decision to abandon support for the bill was his own personal choice, adding that nobody talked him into doing it.