AN EDUCATIONAL organization in Davao City called the anti-terrorism bill a "threat to academic freedom."
In a statement, the Ateneo de Davao University-University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (Addu-UCEAC) questioned on June 6 some provisions of the House Bill 6875 or the "An Act to Prevent, Prohibit and Penalize Terrorism," which is known as the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
UCEAC specifically cited Section 45 of the proposed bill that included the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (Ched) in the Anti-Terrorism Council as support agencies.
The council questioned DepEd and Ched's role in the proposed law, considering the provision's "vaguely worded with no sufficient standards set in place."
"While the bill has substantive constitutional issues on its face, the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council of the Ateneo de Davao is deeply disturbed relative to some of its provisions impeding the educational institution's academic freedom," UCEAC said in a statement.
"As a Catholic educational institution situated in Mindanao, the articulation of some of its provisions related to educational institutions leaves a lot to be desired as well as alarming as it sends a chilling effect on its potential impact on schools," UCEAC added.
The council questioned if the bill would force schools to submit lists of campus organizations and its members that are perceived by law as "terrorist organizations."
They also questioned if the proposed law would monitor campus newspapers for "potential 'terrorist' remarks."
Also, UCEAC questioned if the bill would hinder a teacher's freedom of expression in the classroom, and on an educational institution on its academic freedom to teach what it wants to teach even when this means exploring "themes of dissent in democratic institutions."
"While the intent is to eradicate terrorism in the country is paramount, the objectionable provisions in this proposed law cannot be simply ignored," the council said, adding they objected to some of its provisions.
UCEAC said the bill's vague provision can be potentially abused by the State and its implementers.
The group also cited the recent incident in the University of the Philippines in Cebu as a "clear example that dissent is curtailed and not being recognized" by the government. They added that freedom of speech should be secured amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Hence, the group urged President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the bill.
Addu president Fr. Joel Tabora is one of those included in the signatories of a joint statement of the Jesuits and La Salle Brothers that "strongly" opposes the bill.
"While we acknowledge the need to fight terrorism, we find the passage of the bill ill-timed," their statement reads.
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines also condemned the law which they tagged as a "misplaced interest" of Duterte and his cohorts.
The group said the government should instead focus on providing economic and medical aid to those hit hard by the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa said the highly criticized measure will strengthen the government's ability to protect the people and the land from the prevailing threats being posed by terror groups not only in the Philippines but also abroad.
"The amendments to the Human Security Act of 2007 that were introduced in the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 will update and strengthen the country's anti-terrorism policies," said Gamboa.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo said the new law will not give them additional power as it was not substantially different from the country's present anti-terror law.
