No stopping anti-terror law July 15–Palace

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 03:42pm (Mla time) 07/13/2007MANILA, Philippines– Malacañang reiterated on Friday that the Human Security Act (HSA) would be implemented July 15, amid persistent reports that it would be deferred because of lack of preparation.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita denied reports that he issued a memorandum to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo informing her that the law could not yet be enforced.

“It will be implemented starting July 15, as called for by the law, which is two months after the election. As a matter of fact, we had a meeting yesterday to prepare so we will hit the road running in the implementation of the law,” Ermita said in a television interview Friday.

Ermita and Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol both clarified that what they sought to defer was the formal launching of the landmark measure, which officials said would give the teeth to authorities to go after terrorists, but which militant groups and the Catholic bishops feared would be used to quell popular protests against the administration.

Both officials said that they asked the President to move to another date the formal launch of the law because it would coincide with the Supreme Court’s summit on extrajudicial killings slated on Monday at the Manila Hotel.

Ermita, Apostol, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Calderon, and Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Ebdane were among those invited in the summit aimed to help find ways to strengthen the law in running after perpetrators of extrajudicial killings in the country.

Apostol said they recommended the launching of the HSA for July 20.

The Anti-Terror Council, which Ermita heads, met Thursday to discuss the details of the implementation on July 15.

Ermita and Apostol maintained that there was no need for implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the law to be implemented, saying the law is self-executory and that it could be easily understood.

“The Anti-Terror Council will implement it to the best of its ability so people will understand the purpose of the law,” Ermita said, adding that the law’s main purpose is to “protect the people.”

In lieu of the IRR, Ermita said the council would circulate primers for all enforcement agencies “so they would know the do’s and don’ts of the law and prevent violations that the people are afraid of.”