MANILA, Philippines — The passage of the antiterrorism law amid the COVID-19 crisis has betrayed the “government’s design to weaponize the law to suppress fundamental freedoms,” according to the latest petition asking the Supreme Court to nullify Republic Act No. A group of lawyers, law professors, journalists and activists filed through their lawyer on Monday the 27th petition in the Supreme Court to strike down the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 for violating fundamental rights under the Constitution. The latest petitioners were from the Center for International Law Inc. (CenterLaw), Foundation for Media Alternatives Inc. (FMA), Democracy.net.ph, VERA Files lnc. “We do not dispute that terrorism is a menace that must be slain,” they said. Like the other petitioners before them, the group asked for a temporary restraining order to prohibit law enforcement agencies from implementing the law that President Duterte signed barely a month ago.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 10, 2020 20:37 UTC