By ARGYLL GEDUCOS
Malacañang said yesterday that the anti-terror bill is now a step closer to the table of President Duterte as the controversial measure is now up for final review by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs has finished reviewing the bill.
“Nailipat na po ‘yan sa tanggapan ni Executive Secretary for final review. Final approval lang po siguro ‘yan ni Executive Secretary at dadalhin na po sa lamesa ni Presidente,” he said. “Ibig sabihin po meron nang memorandum recommending a course of action to the President.”
The Department of Justice has already submitted its recommendation to the President but Roque refused to divulge any information regarding the DoJ’s view on the measure.
Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo has expressed support for the bill and recommended its signing into law.
Duterte certified the controversial anti-terror bill as urgent despite the opposition of the public due to supposedly unconstitutional provisions that are also prone to abuse.
Some of the issues raised by the public were the 14-day pre-trial detention that can be extended for another 10 days and the anti-terror council being allowed to order an arrest of a suspected terrorist.
Malacañang, however, said Duterte had no problem with the proposed pre-trial detention period but said he was inclined to sign the bill barring constitutional infirmities.
Duterte spoke about the bill for the first time last week, saying he has not even read the proposed measure yet and that it was still under review by his legal team. (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)
