Running head: Activism in the Philippines 1

Activism in the Philippines: Activists are Not terrorists

Shan Rick S. Rojas

STEM 12 – Our Lady of Immactulate Conception

St. Paul University Dumaguete

Abstract

Activism in the Philippines and its long history has always been a misconception to many as an

act of rebellion. The country has a long list of left-wing activists who have been executed

without trial by state security forces on the pretext of fighting the country's communist

insurgency. These deaths occur because government and military officials perceive

activists working to enforce or reform the law as front men for armed insurgents. This paper

argues and defines the mandate and functions of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) under the control of President Rodrigo Duterte. And

further argues with the urgently instituted Anti-Terror Bill (SB 1083/HB 6875) amid the

pandemic. Also the silencing of the media and the oppressed activists in the current

administration

Outline

Thesis statement: Activism is not act of terrorism.

I. Introduction

A. Introduce the topic

B. The law enforcement agencies in the Philippines

1. AFP/PNP

a) What are their purpose and mission?

b) Who is empowered to have control over these agencies?

C. What is terrorism and activism?

D. Assert the thesis (your view of the issue)

1. Not all activist are terrorist.

2. Activism is not a form of terrorism.

3. Anti-terrorism Act violates the institutional rights of the country.

II. Counter Argument

A. Summarize the counterclaims

1. The agencies are there to enforce law and maintain peace and order.

2. Anti-terrorism laws present in other countries.

3. Activists proven to have an armed wing

B. Provide supporting information for counterclaims

C. Refute the counterclaims

1. Institutional rights

a) Freedom of speech

2. Anti-terrorism Act

a) Eliminate critical legal protections and permit government overreach

against groups and individuals labeled terrorists.

b) Permits warrantless arrests and allows authorities to hold individuals for

weeks without charge.

c) It could be used for the administration to exact personal vendettas against

its political opponents.

D. Give evidence for argument

1. News articles
Running head: Activism in the Philippines 4

2. Biographies

III. Your Argument

A. Documents suggest PH police planted guns in drug war ops

1. Give your opinion

2. Provide support

B. AFP’s Failure to uphold the country’s sovereignty rights

1. Give your opinion

2. Provide support

C. Activism does not equate to terrorism

1. Give your opinion

2. Provide support

IV. Conclusion

A. Who are the real terrorists?

B. Provide a plan of action

Are Activists Considered as Terrorists?

The Philippine government’s military response to the public health emergency posed

by COVID-19 has revealed gaps in governance which have further marginalized the working

class. These communities, which have been the most vulnerable to the worst effects of climate

change, will now also face the risk of losing their livelihood. How did the government respond?

The Philippines' response is a tragedy of errors. As these communities face the risk of the

pandemic and climate crises, empowerment plays an active role in providing citizens with their

rights and holding their elected leaders accountable. Activism plays a crucial role in empowering

citizens to assert their rights and demand accountability from its elected leaders. The main

question would be, are activists considered terrorists?

Law Enforcement Agencies in the Philippines

The Philippines is a republic with a presidential form of government wherein power is

equally divided among its three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The government

seeks to act in the best interests of its citizens through this system of check and balance. The

branch that mandates the law and function of the government are the law enforcement agencies.

The PNP (Philippine National Police) who enforces the law, prevent and control crimes,

maintain peace and order, and ensure public safety and internal security with the active support

of the community. On the other hand, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is responsible

for upholding the sovereignty of the country, supporting its Constitution, and defending its

territory against all enemies. It is composed of the Philippine Army, the Philippine Navy, and the

Philippine Air Force. Article VII, Section 1, of the 1987 Constitution vests executive power on the

President of the Philippines states that the President is the Head of State and Head of

Government and functions as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Running head: Activism in the Philippines 6

As chief executive, the President exercises control over all the executive departments, bureaus,

and offices.

What is Terrorism and Activism?

The two terms are often used even way back everywhere around the world before, but

sometimes the definition may be misleading. Activism does not equate to terrorism. Terrorism is

the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a

government or its citizens to further certain political or social objectives. Activism is a

movement that promotes, impede, direct, and intervene social, political, economic or

environmental reform for social and political change. An activist is a person who campaigns for

some kind of social change. Someone who's actively involved in a protest or a political or social

cause can be called an activist. Activism is Not a Form of Terrorism

Views and Perspectives on the Issue

Activists treated as a terrorist and are increasingly face a living hell in the Philippines.

The phenomenon known as red-tagging that has been recurring for decades has yet intensified in

the last few years under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The false branding of

activists as communist insurgents or also known as Red-tagging refers to the act of malicious

blacklisting of individuals or organizations critical or not fully supportive of the actions of a

sitting government administration. Even by protesting the government has no clear guideline on

rallies. There is no outright prohibition to the constitutional rights to assembly and freedom of

expression, but law enforcement uses the prohibition on mass gathering. In this time of the

pandemic, if people demand effective contact tracking and mass testing, the government can use

it as a terrorist act to curb objections and dissatisfaction among people. The ambiguity in the
Running head: Activism in the Philippines 7

definition of a terrorist is used not only for red tags but also for arrests that threaten the lives and

safety of fellow citizens

Anti-terrorism Act. Violates the Institutional Rights of the Country

Amid a deadly epidemic, the controversial president has quickly passed a new anti-

terrorism law. The law is believed to have been come into effect to combat Islamic militancy in

the south of the country. However, the law openly ignores human rights and actively oppresses

any dissent. It is expected to be a target of targeted and military killings, especially against illegal

drug traffickers in the country. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet

recently published a report highlighting the military killings that took place under the Durterte’s

government as a system to curb the illicit sale of illegal drugs in the country had gone. Who is

completely disregarding the legal process and the institutional rights. Amnesty International has

also learned of the "targeted killing of the poor through duty", condemning "nothing but mass

murder." Yet again the government body that is eligible in implementing this House Bill are the

PNP and AFP.

The Agencies are there to Enforce Law and Maintain Peace and Order

For similar or even interconnected missions, cooperation and partnership between the

Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

are mandatory. In fact, among government agencies, the two are inseparable and one

always needs the other's support. Ultimately, both sides pursue the same goals, namely to ensure

peace, order and security in the country and to protect national interests. Law enforcement and

security developments in recent months, including the campaign against terrorism

and illicit drugs, and the need to declare a state of emergency in the face of anarchy of violence -

otherwise intensified - the level of partnership and cooperation between police and soldiers was

emphasized. The current level of joint operations between the PNP and the armed forces

has also reduced the existence of criminal syndicates and other criminal gangs and canceled their

activities.

Anti-terrorism Laws Present in Other Countries

The Law itself is no different from the rest of the world, other countries do in present

have pre-existing laws to combat against terrorism and its reason for the implementation. The

Anti-terrorism legislation are laws designed to fight terrorism. The different kinds of terrorism

acts usually follow, if not always, certain bombings or assassinations. Anti-terrorism legislation

usually includes specific changes that allow the state to repeal its own law in the fight against

terrorism crimes for reasons of necessity. Some activists were also proven to have connections

with an armed wing. Recently, last September 18, 2020, there was a suspected ranking official of

the New People's Army (NPA) and was arrested Thursday at Carlos P. Garcia. The alleged rebel

leader was identified 43-year-old Jonifie Douglas, according to a warrant issued by Judge

Virginia de Tehano-Ang of Branch 1 of the Del Norte Regional Trial Court. The military stated

that Dagal, who is accused of murder, is a member of the intelligence unit of the regional

operational command under the NPA's Southern Mindau Regional Committee, which operates in

the area. The suspect was arrested Thursday morning in a house believed to be owned by one of

her husband's relatives in Brgy. Aguining in Carlos P. Garcia town. According to the military,

Dagale was once an activist who later turned into a leader of the Guerilla Front 33 operating in

Davao Region.
Running head: Activism in the Philippines 9

Eliminates Critical Legal Protections and Permit Government Overreach

Any law that imposes penalties on a convicted person or group must be clear about how it

defines an offense. Under the proposed law, what qualifies as an act of “terrorism” has been

expanded and can be subject to a variety of interpretations. Ambiguity in the definitions of

“terrorist” and the “acts of terrorism” may lead to the abuse of authority, especially when

substantive institutional oversight is reduced. Eliminates critical legal protections and permit

government overreach against groups and individuals labeled as terrorists. The bill also permits

warrantless arrests and allows authorities to hold individuals for weeks without charge. To the

extent indicated, the monitoring period is extended from 30 to 60 days. Surveillance includes

research, monitoring or investigation of individuals or organizations; Or wiretapping, listening,

intercepting, filtering, reading and recording of messages, conversations, discussions, spoken or

written words, including computer and network surveillance, and other communications of the

accused or persons suspected of being involved in terrorism. And lastly, it could be used for the

administration to exact personal vendettas against its political opponents’ or peaceful protestors’

freedom of speech. In a demonstration held at the University of Cebu Campus in the

Philippines on June 5, 2020, on the pretext of the different arrangements of different sections of

the city's general community, condemn the violent proliferation of peaceful protesters against the

bill. If the law protecting public health can be enacted in this abusive manner, how likely is

it to misuse this proposed anti-terrorism bill with all its problematic provisions?

Whistleblowing and Abuse of Authority Even Before the Implementation of the Bill
Running head: Activism in the Philippines 10

The PNP are the people who are intended to enforce, prevent, and control crimes and

maintain peace and order. The same PNP that was referred to in the U.N. documents suggest PH

police planted guns during the drug war ops. The United Nations Human Rights Office said

Philippine police had used firearms as evidence to support their "Nanlaban (fought back

against)" narratives against drug suspects killed in operations. "The Office of the United

Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) found that police had repeatedly

recovered weapons with the same serial numbers from different victims in different locations," it

said in a report published on Thursday, June 4. Report resulting from an investigation

approved by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), which was criticized by the Philippines,

whose government faced "far-reaching consequences" against member countries that voted to

carry out the investigation.

AFP’s Failure to uphold the country’s sovereign rights. The military had been quiet over

China's reported installation of missiles and jammers on Mischief Reef – a maritime feature

inside the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines which the neighboring superpower

occupied in 1994 and started reclaiming in 2013. The country had sovereign rights claim –

exclusive power to develop resources – over Mischief Reef was upheld by the Permanent Court

of Arbitration in 2016.

Now knowing the definition of terrorism. In your opinion, who is using unlawful

violence and intimidation especially against civilians for political aims? Activists are the ones

who do protest, they sign petitions and they campaign for social change. They don’t have an

armed wing, although the government may have gotten and proved that there are activist who are

part of the NPA, does that mean all activists are terrorist? If I were to meet a police officer who’d
Running head: Activism in the Philippines 11

admittedly say he/she killed someone, does that mean all police and any other law enforcement

agencies, and legal bodies are terrorist? In my opinion, activists are not terrorists.

References
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