Thank you, Mr. President. Distinguished colleagues, I have the honor to report on the Senate floor Senate Bill No. 1083 entitled “An Act Amending Certain Provisions of Republic Act No. 9372,” otherwise Known as “An Act to Secure the State and Protect Our People from Terrorism,” as embodied in Committee Report No. 9 in substitution of Senate Bill Numbers 6, 21, and 30.
The amendment to the Human Security Act of 2007 is among the unfinished business of the 17th Congress. Almost eight months ago, I stood here to sponsor the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2019. Unfortunately, time was not on our side to deliberate on the said measure. Since then, the Filipino people have already been confronted by a number of terrorist attacks. As we speak, terrorist groups are probably planning their next attacks.
Mr. President, we have seen a mutation in the way terrorist groups perpetrate their evil acts since the passage of the Human Security Act. We have seen the phenomenon of terrorism become more complex and malevolent. We have seen how the ISIS’ tactics have changed as the terror group continues to lose ground in Iraq and Syria, how their members and sympathizers are taking the fight here in Southeast Asia.
Related: At a Glance: The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2019 (18th Congress)
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