MANILA, Philippines — Church leaders on Friday joined the growing number of legal challenges against the much-feared anti-terrorism law before the Supreme Court.
Led by Manila Auxiliary and apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila Broderick Pabillo, 20 religious leaders filed the 18th Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition against Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
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They asked the SC to issue a temporary restraining order to prohibit the government-respondents from implementing the law, which the Palace asserted took effect on March 19.
Even before they formalized their opposition to the law with this petition, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines—whose members stand as petitioners petitioners—issued a strongly-worded pastoral letter denouncing the anti-terrorism law.
Other petitioners are from the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Episcopal Church in the Philippines, Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) and other religious groups.
They said that their petition is just part of their journey. Citing Alih vs Castro in 1987, they said: “All of us must exert efforts to make our country truly free and democratic, where every individual is entitled to the full protection of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights can stand as stolid sentinel for all, the innocent as well as the guilty, including the basest of criminals.”
Advocacies for the poor at risk
Like previously filed petitions, this latest pleading also implored the SC that even before RA 11479 was instituted, state agents already deemed “legitimate programs and activities of petitioners as ‘acts supportive of terrorism.’”
The religious leaders told the SC that “people active in social advocacies who are accused of being communists.” Members of the religious sectors, even bishops and priests, have been at the end of such accusations.
They stressed that advocacy on relevant issues that affect the poor is among the church’s important components.
“Now, the policies and actions of the government do not make any delineation between legal, aboveground organizations and armed, underground groups that are waging a protracted war against the government. They are lumped together as forming a wide network of ‘terrorists,’” they said.
They noted that members of CBCP, NCCP and RMP have joined the indigenous peoples in opposing the construction of Kaliwa Dam. CBCP, for its part, issued statements and pastoral letters, and led signature drives.
Protest actions “intended to stop the construction of the dam” have also been conducted.
The petitioners said that under the law’s section defining terrorism, their protests may be misconstrued as acts meant to “cause extensive interference with critical infrastructure.”
“Verily, Section 4 of R.A. 11479defining terrorism is unconstitutionally vague, i.e., the term is not clear enough for a person of common intelligence to be sure of its meaning. It is repugnant to the due process clause of the Constitution,” the petition read.
Criticism vs Duterte
They also noted that Pabillo has been a vocal critic of Duterte and his administration, from his war on drugs, supposed “Red October” plot, calling God as “stupid,” and wishing death upon “useless” bishops.
“For voicing their criticism of the polices of the Duterte administration that affect civil and political rights, the petitioners and other members of the church have been outright regarded as ‘enemies’ of the state,” they said, recalling the sedition complaint cops filed against several known members of the opposition, including church leaders.
In July 2019, the police filed sedition complaints against Church leaders including Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, Divine Word Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Jesuit Fr. Albert Alejo, Fr. Robert Reyes, and Lasallian Br. Armin Luistro, former education secretary.
They, along with dozens others, are known opposition figures. They were linked in a supposed ouster plot against the president based on an anonymous video. State prosecutors indicted Villanueva, Alejo and nine others for conspiracy to commit sedition.
“It must be reminded that under Section 9 of R.A. 11479, the speeches, writings or statements of the petitioners may come within the broad and vague meaning of “inciting to terrorism”, punishable by imprisonment of twelve (12) years,” their petition read.