Independence Day protesters told to follow GCQ rules

FILE: Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday (Oct. 11, 2019). (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday reminded groups planning to stage Independence Day protests to comply with protocols under the general community quarantine (GCQ).

“We remain strict in terms of mass gatherings, it should not exceed 10 persons and there should be physical distancing because we still have many Covid-19 cases and under GCQ, it is not possible to do everything that we normally do in the past,” Año said in Filipino in a television interview.

He, however, encouraged groups to express their grievances in other ways that will not violate quarantine protocols.

Año, meanwhile, called on critics to read the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 in its entirety.

“What we really want is for them to read the whole anti-terrorism bill because first and foremost, what they are protesting is not in the bill and secondly, all safeguards in the anti-terrorism bill are in place,” Año said, adding that the rights of every Filipino would be protected once the bill becomes a law.

The bill introduced provisions imposing life imprisonment without parole on those who will participate in the planning, training, preparation, and facilitation of a terrorist act; possess objects connected with the preparation for the commission of terrorism; or collect or make documents connected with the conduct of terrorism.

Under the bill, any person who shall threaten to commit terrorism shall suffer the penalty of 12 years. The same jail term will be meted against those who will propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism.

Any person who shall voluntarily and knowingly join any organization, association, or group of persons knowing that such is a terrorist organization, shall suffer imprisonment of 12 years.

Under the bill, the number of days a suspected person can be detained without a warrant of arrest is 14 calendar days, extendible by 10 days.