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.

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