he beltBy Alex P. Vidal
“Many times in life, we say we want change but are then terrified when the opportunity for it arrives.”—Marianne Williamson
LET’S not get mad at Ilonggo solons who co-authored and supported the controversial anti-terror bill or Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 passed in the Lower House by a vote of 173-31, with 29 abstentions June 3.
Some of these Ilonggo representatives may have supported the bill along party lines, especially that no less than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte had certified the bill as urgent.
We have solons who are principled and those with no backbone.
We have solons who can stand their ground without blinking and vote according to their conscience, while there are second-rate representatives who can’t defy the wishes of the emperor.
When they inked their signatures in the bill, these sniveling solons were virtually in the precarious situation of “damn if they did and damn if they didn’t.”
Our solons were aware they were in President’ Duterte’s radar and probably didn’t want to displease the country’s most powerful man.
In other words, they voted for the bill aware of the Sword of Damocles above them.
Never mind what their constituents back home will say.
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With no independence as legislators and willing to do the bidding for the executive branch, the solons didn’t wish to earn the old man’s ire.
At the same time, at the back of their minds, they were worried their freedom-loving constituents, conscious of possible attempt to trammel their basic rights when the bill becomes a law, might scoff at their “cowardice” and virtual subservience to the President.
Yet, they didn’t blink and went on to force the controversial bill into the people’s throats.
We suspect many—if not all—of them never consulted their constituents before they voted yes. If they did, they would be ribbed with overwhelming rebuke and opposition.
Let us put it this way: the solons who co-authored, defended, pushed, and voted for the controversial bill chose President Duterte over the true will of their constituents.
When they run for reelection or seek a higher office in the next elections, they should go to the President and woo him for his support.
They should remind him of they did on June 3, 2020 when they voted yes to the anti-terror bill that made the President happy.
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The approved version was never amended as proposed earlier and only replicated the Upper Chamber’s Senate Bill No. 1083 passed in February.
But it amended and repealed the Human Security Act, and sought to impose tougher penalties, including life imprisonment, on anyone who will participate in, conspire with, or incite others in the planning or facilitation of a terrorist attack.
No less than Vice President Leni Robredo has noted that several provisions in the bill focused on expanding the definition of a terrorist and on lessening the checks and balances against wrongful arrest, provisions that “cause a lot of fear.”
The Vice President thundered: “Especially in the hands of people who have no qualms about using disinformation, inventing evidence, or finding the smallest of pretexts to silence its critics—this power is very dangerous.”
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
