Parts of Philippine anti-terror law unconstitutional: Supreme Court

MANILA • The Philippine Supreme Court said yesterday that parts of an anti-terrorism law passed last year were unconstitutional, in a decision hailed by one of the law's opponents as a "partial victory".

The controversial law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in July last year, alarmed some lawyers and human rights activists, who feared that it could be used to suppress free speech and harass government opponents.

The law grants the police and the military sweeping powers to tackle security threats. But legal experts have warned that its overly broad articles could open the door to discriminatory enforcement, privacy infringements and suppression of peaceful dissent.

A detailed breakdown of the court's ruling was not immediately available.

The government had no immediate response to the decision.

Mr Panfilo Lacson, a senator and principal author of the legislation, said in a Twitter post prior to the ruling that he would graciously respect the outcome.

The court said in a statement that it struck down a part of the law "for being overbroad and violative of freedom of expression".

Mr Renato Reyes, secretary-general of the leftist Bayan (Nation) movement, said: "Our main win from the (Supreme Court) ruling on the terror law is that activism is not terrorism.

"That is a partial victory for petitioners as protests and advocacy are not acts of terror."

But, he added, "the dangerous provisions of the terror law remain and can still be abused by the anti-terror council".

REUTERS