San Beda Dean Ranhilio Aquino says activists cause chaos, left law enforcers defenseless

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Amid the on-going debate on the anti-terrorism bill, San Beda Law Graduate School Dean Ranhilio Aquino said that people should not canonize the activist.

“In the ongoing debate on the anti-terrorism bills, I suggest that we avoid two extremes: canonizing activists and demonizing law-enforcers.” said Ranhilio

“The fact is that activitists are capable of stirring violence and mayhem, and in fact have done so.”  He added

The dean also stated that activists often find themselves causing violence which leaves the enforcers unable to defend themselves due to some law restrictions.

“Likewise factual is that law-enforcers find themselves incapable of defending themselves, let alone law and order, because of restrictions on their actions and their a priori characterization as villainous.” Ranhilio said in a follow up comment.

The dean said that there can be an acceptable version of the law as the country need to confront the global reality of terrorism.

“I still believe we can come up with a more acceptable version of the law -- that, in the face of the global reality of terrorism -- we do need.” The dean said

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier clarified that pr0tests against the government are not covered by the Anti-Terrorism Bill.

“Terrorists lang at terrorist organization members ang tatamaan nito (will be affected). Huwag silang maniwala sa false propaganda (They should not fall for false propaganda),” Sotto reiterated

Some groups, and even personalities, have expressed concern over the same provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Bill, fearing that law enforcers could use this against protests.