The Bill grants absolute power to the state and its repressive apparatuses such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to violate the Philippine Constitution and human rights. It harbors a vague definition of terrorism which permits the malicious tagging of activists, critics, and organizations as affiliates of so-called terrorist groups. Furthermore, the Bill undermines whatever “safeguard” it has by giving free rein to the Anti-Terror Council (ATC) to determine what constitutes “a serious risk to public safety” and the act to “incite others” to commit terrorism. This paves the way for the warrantless arrest of members of civil society designated as “terrorist.” This may paralyze the broad grassroots movements and alternative practices engaged by communities and civil society organizations that counter the state’s aggressive, profit-oriented vision of development. No one is safe.
We believe that it is imperative that we put an end to terrorist activities. Our hearts and sympathies go out to all of those who have been victimized by acts of lawless violence. However, arming the government with punitive instruments and granting them a wide latitude of discretion, which the proposed bill provides, is not the answer. History will tell how current and past regimes have exhausted various means to amass political power through anti-people policies, as exemplified by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos who wore the same “anti-terrorism” veneer to quell critics and dissenters. Suffice to say, the “Terror Bill” does not and will not address the root causes of terrorism which is poverty and the corruption of power.
As scholars and activists, we cannot stand by as we lay witness to the passage of this bill, especially under the current regime which has not been shy to use violence against the weak, powerless and the poor. We believe that addressing terrorism must not be addressed through punitive and draconian measures. Quelling terroristic activities is built through a comprehensive approach towards attaining peace, social justice, equity with the genuine participation of its people. We do not need to further arm the coercive apparatuses of the state which has operated with impunity and has grotesquely performed its duties with abuses. In order to end terrorism, what our society needs are real opportunities for its people, schools for its children, protection for peoples across races, sexes, and genders, an end to discrimination and violence, and genuine, open and transformative conversations in our pursuit of development.
To be free from terrorism, the entire Philippine nation, and the rest of the world, must get rid of poverty, marginalization and vulnerabilities. We need and demand for socio-politico-economic transformation attuned to people’s aspirations and voices, not another gauntlet to further strangle the Filipino peoples.
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SIGNATORIES
Organizations
Akhuwat-E-Kissan Pakistan
Aksyon sa Kahandaan sa Kalamidad at Klima- National Capital Region (AKKMA NCR) Alyansa Bukidnon
ASEAN SOGIE Caucus
Asia-Europe People’s Forum- Finland
Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC)
Baclig Farmworkers Association (BACFA)
DEPRIVE, INC. QUEZON CITY
DIGNIDAD Movement
Europe Solidaire San Frontières (ESSF), France
Foundation for Media Alternatives
Freedom from Debt Coalition
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
International Association of People’s Lawyers
Gender and Development Advocates (GANDA)
Filipinas K’dadalak Sulimutuk Institute - Timor Leste
Kesatuan Aksi Keluarga Besar Universitas Indonesia 1998 (KA-KBUI 98)
Konfederasi Serikat Nasional Indonesia
KPRI (Confederation of Indonesia People Movement)
LCMP-PO-NETWORK
Metro Manila Vendors Alliance (MMVA)
Mindanao Peoples’ Peace Movement (MPPM)
Multi-stakeholders’ Initiatives for Humanitarian Action against Disasters (MIHANDs)
NABIGLA PO COMMUNITY
NACMADECO COOP Network for Transformative Social Protection (NTSP)
NGO Forum on ADB
Oriang Women’s Movement Inc.
Panalsalan Dagumbaan Tribal Association (PADATA)
Partai Rakyat Pekerja (Working People Party) Indonesia
Peace Women Partners
People’s Plan Study Group, Tokyo, Japan
SAFEnet Indonesia
Save Our Schools Network
Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet)
STOP the War Coalition Philippines
Surigao Youth Convergence
Sustainability and Participation through Education and Lifelong Learning (SPELL)
Tri-People’s Organization against Disasters (TRIPOD)
UP ALL BNN
Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers - International Office Amsterdam
UP ALL MEGA MANILA
WomanHealth Philippines
Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau, (WLB) Inc.
West Papua Support Dunedin, New Zealand
Individuals
Dr. Dina Al-Kassim, Associate Professor, English Department and Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Leonora Angeles, Ph. D., Associate Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning and Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Rafiqa Qurrata A’yun, PhD Researcher, Melbourne Law School, Australia
Madhulika Banerjee, Professor of Political Science, University of Delhi, India
Gill H. Boehringer, International Association of People’s Lawyers
Professor Peter Boothroyd, Professor Emeritus, School of Community and Regional Planning, The University of British Columbia
Dr. Susan Boyd, F.R.S.C, Professor Emerita, Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Kristine S. Calleja, Graduate Student, Asian Center, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines
Dominique Caouette, Professor of Political Science, Université de Montréal, Canada
Dr. Kai Chan, Professor, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, The University of British Columbia
Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, Trustee, Human Rights Law Network, India
Francia Clavecillas, Quezon City, Philippines
Valentin da Costa Pinto, Executive Director, Fundasaun HTL (Hafoun Timor Loro’sae)
Alain Dangoisse, House for Sustainable Development, University of Louvain, Belgium
Dr. Robert Daum, Fellow, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, B.C.
Jamie Seth Davidson, Ph.D., Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore
Massimo De Marchi, Professor and Coordinator of International Joint Master Degree on Sustainable Territorial Development - Climate Change Cooperation Diversity, University of Padova, Italy
Marisol de la Cadena, Professor of Anthropology University of California Davis
Alpha Mae J. de los Santos, Graduate Student, College of Social Work and Community Development, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines
Mari Jeanie Derillo, NGO Forum on the ADB
Heather Devere, Te Ao o Rongomaraeroa, University of Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand
Zhian Eli, mrsi4all.org , Dunedin, New Zealand
Dr. Amel Elradi, Ph.D., Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Independent International Development and Policy Consultant, Khartoum, Sudan
Gustavo Esteva, Universidad dev la Tierra en Oaxaca.
Corazon Valdez Fabros, Vice President, International Peace Bureau
Robyn Firmin, Just Peace, Mercy Whanau Parish , Dunedin New Zealand
Joseph Gerson, PhD, President, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Community Security, USA
Ann Gilroy, Tui Motu InterIslands Magazine, New Zealand
Jason Gold, Chair of Labour International Central Eastern Europe.
Dr. Sneja Gunew, FRSC, Professor Emerita, Department of English and Social Justice Institute, University of British Columbia Dr. Penny Gurstein, Professor, School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Wendy Harcourt, Professor of Gender, Diversity and sustainable Development, ISS of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Dr. Leila Harris, Professor, Environmental Studies, Social Justice Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Kevin Hewison, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Aoi Horiuchi, NGO/Activist, Japan
Muto Ichiyo, Tokyo, Japan
Yutaka Katayama, Professor Emeritus, Kobe University, Japan
Benedict J. Tria Kerkvliet, Professor Emeritus, Australian National University
Ashish Kothari, Pune, India
Miriam Lang, Professor, Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Ecuador
Vina Lanzona, Ph.D., University of Hawaii, Manoa
Maire Leadbeater, West Papua Action Auckland
Francis KW Loh, Ph.D., ALIRAN, Malaysia
Kevin Luzong, City Planner and MCRP Candidate, School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
D. Manjit, Contributor, Economic and Political Weekly
Noreen MCGrath, Talitha Kum DN
Douglas Ateremu McNeill, Christchurch, New Zealand
Wajiha Mehdi, PhD Candidate, Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Maria Luisa A. Mendoza, Manila Philippines
Carl Middleton, Ph.D., Director, Center for Social Development Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Paola Minoia, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Development Studies, University of Helsinki, Finland, and University of Turin, Italy
Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir, Ph.D, Department of Sociology at the State University of Jakarta, Indonesia, & postdoctoral research visitor at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.
Lata Narayanaswamy, Lecturer in International Development, University of Leeds, UK
Katrina Navallo, Ph.D., Tokyo, Japan
Gerardo Lopez-Amaro, California Institute of Integral Studies
Donna Peacock, Just Peace Group, Mercy Parish, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand
Regie Anne D. Placido, Alumna, University of the Philippines, Baguio, Philippines
Dr. Geraldine Pratt, Head, Department of Geography & Professor, Canada Research Chair of Transnationalism and Precarious Labour, Faculty of Arts, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
James Putzel, Ph.D., Professor, London School of Economics (LSE)
Floro C. Quibuyen, Ph.D., President, Research Institute on Sustainable Alternatives (RISAL), Sydney, Australia
Nathan Gilbert Quimpo, Ph.D., University of Tsukuba, Japan
Sharon Quinsaat, Ph.D., Grinnell College, Iowa, USA
Rajeswari S. Raina, Teacher, New Delhi, India
Dr. Valerie Raoul, Professor Emerita, French and Women’s Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
Jette Roldan, Graduate Student, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Philippines
Dr. Becki Ross, Professor, Department of Sociology & Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
Attachak Sattayanurak, Ph.D., Chiangmai University, Thailand
Jeremy Simons, Peace and Conflict Studies Researcher/Doctoral Student, National Center for Peace and Conflict Studies-University of Otago, New Zealand
Vandana Singh, writer and physicist, Boston
Anne Snick, Senior Researcher, STEAM+ project (EACEA)- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Dr. Veronica Strong-Boag, CM, Ph.d., FRSC, Professor Emerita, Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice and Department of Educational Studies, University of British Columbia, Adjunct Professor, Departments of History and Gender Studies, University of Victoria
Dr. Raul K. Suarez, Professor Emeritus, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Retired Professor, University of California Santa Barbara
Lawrence Surendra, Environmental Economist, Chennai, India
Kalle Sysikaski, Asia-Europe People’s Forum -Finland
Dr. Lope G. Tabil, Ph.D., P.Eng., Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Naruemon Thabchumpon, Ph.D., Political Science Department, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Dr Jessica Ticar, Ph.D., Educational and Counselling Psychologist, Ontario, Canada
Olle Tornquist, Ph. D., Professor of Politics & Development, University of Oslo, Norway
Yennah Torres, Member-LABAN Kababaihan, Mindanao, Philippines
Marrianne Ubalde, PhD Student, Hokkaido University
Eef Vermeij, Senior Librarian, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Andreas Weber, und.Institut für Kunst, Kultur und Nachhaltigkeit, Berlin, Germany
Dr. David Webster, Professor of History, Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Quebec
Surichai Wun’Gaeo, Professor & Director, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Sunya Zaman, PhD Student, School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.