Lacson: Anti-Terrorism Council not targeting opposition

Dumaguete City (CNN Philippines December 11) - The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) is not targeting members of the opposition, according to presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson.

"Nasa batas 'yun eh hindi naman tinatarget 'yung opposition," he told reporters in a briefing on Saturday before meeting with sectors in Dumaguete City. "Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling 'yung tatargetin sila."

[Translation: It's in the law. They are not targeting the opposition. I don't know where that came from.]

The ATC is primarily tasked to implement the Anti-Terrorism Law (ATL) and may tag groups or individuals as terrorists.

"Maski sino naman [Anyone], whether they are members of the opposition or they are sympathizers of the [Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army] or whether you are members of media or whether you are members of Congress, if you commit acts of terrorism, you will be answerable to the law," the senator added.

Lacson - the principal sponsor of the law - gave this assurance after portions of the ATL were struck down by the Supreme Court.

Lacson said he was pleased with the high court's decision, describing it as a partial victory for critics but a "total victory for peace against terror."

However, he admitted there are still some challenges when it comes to the law's implementation.

"Kasi sometimes law enforcement officers mali ang interpretation or sometimes they extend 'yung meaning or spirit ng law," Lacson said. "Meron naman tayo provisions sa batas na pwede parusahan 'yung law enforcement officers who violate the provisions of the law...just like any other law pwede subject to abuse, hindi lang 'yung ATL."

[Translation: Because law enforcement officers sometimes have a wrong interpretation or they extend the meaning or spirit of the law. We have provisions to punish law enforcement officers who violate the law...just like any other law it can be subject to abuse, but it's not just the ATL.]