Dahil marami nang nagbabalik-loob sa pamahalaan o kaya ay sumusuko sa mga awtoridad, nag-level up na ng mga “fronts” ng New People’s Army (NPA) na siraan ang Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB).
Sa impormasyong nakalap ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, ang pagkakalat ng maling impormasyon laban sa ATB ay ginagawa umano ng mga grupo at indibiduwal na kaalyado o nakikisimpatiya sa NPA.
“An Army commander reported that in anticipation of the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill, the NPAs have started surrendering. 27 in just 2 days in Quezon, Laguna and Mindoro alone. Many more are sending surrender feelers. That is why, he said, their fronts have become busier with their disinformation campaign,” pagbubunyag ni Lacson sa kanyang Twitter account.
May pending proscription case laban sa Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army sa Manila Regional Trial Court.
Ang NPA at ang Abu Sayyaf ay una nang na-designate na Foreign Terrorist Group ng Estados Unidos. Na-designate ang NPA noong Agosto 9, 2002. Ang Abu Sayyaf ay na-designate noong Oktubre 8, 1997.
“As per the Anti-Terrorism Bill, once the United Nations designates the local communist guerrillas as a terrorist organization, the ATC can initiate an administrative action through the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze their accounts. These and more could be the reason why there is so much disinformation going on,” paliwanag ni Lacson.
“I hope the different political parties that are opposed to the current administration will not fall into the ‘scare tactics’ trap laid out and being peddled by groups who are sympathetic to the CPP/NPA’s cause which incidentally has deteriorated to the level of banditry and extortion activities,” mensahe ni Lacson.
Kaya naman, nananawagan si Lacson sa publiko na maglaan ng oras na basahin ang probisyon ng naturang panukala na ginagamit ng mga nagpapakalat ng maling impormasyon. Ang tinutukoy ng mambabatas ay ang Section 45.
“Those who have doubts on the extent of the ATC authority, please find time to read Section 45 of the bill, particularly the last paragraph, ‘Nowhere herein shall be interpreted to empower the ATC to exercise any judicial or quasi-judicial power or authority,'” diin ni Lacson.
Sinupalpal din ng senador ang ilang nagpapakilalang human rights advocates na nagsasabing siya ang nagpapakalat ng maling impormasyon tungkol sa panukala lalo na sa mga probisyon tungkol sa kapangyarihan ng Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).
“That is my original line. You are plagiarizing,” saad ni Lacson sa pamamagitan ng tweetkay Human Rights Watch “researcher” Carlos Conde.
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