• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID) has welcomed the Supreme Court’s (SC) approval and issuance of the procedural rules concerning petitions and applications related to the implementation of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020, saying it will further boost its campaign against insurgency.
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3ID commander, said the development will strengthen security operations to prevent acts of terror perpetrated by a group or an individual, but more importantly, it will hasten efforts to end the local communist armed conflict.
The procedural rules are set to take effect on Jan. 15 and will apply to petitions and applications related to detentions without judicial warrants of arrest, surveillance orders, freeze orders, restrictions on travel, designations, proscriptions, and other court orders issued to implement the ATA and other associated laws.
Sison added that the issuance of the SC ruling will greatly hamper, if not diminish, the operations and resource generation activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and its “White Area” operatives.
The ATA and other related laws such as Republic Act 10168 or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act define and provide punishment for acts of terrorism such as, but not limited to participation, cooperation, facilitation and conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism by an individual, group or association, and suspects can be arrested without judicial warrants of arrest.
The CPP-NPA has been designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council and as a foreign terrorist organization by the US State Department in September 2022 and in August 2002, respectively.
Sison assured the public, especially the people of Western and Central Visayas, that the 3ID will continue to collaborate with the local government units, law enforcement agencies and other partners and stakeholders in protecting the rights of the people during the implementation of the ATA and other related laws. | GB
