Anti-Terror Bill: Philippines

In 2016 President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign was centered around the war on drugs alongside a zero-tolerance crime policy. Since his inauguration, over 12,000 people have died because of his campaign focus. Many of the individuals were killed and continue to be under the mere doubt of drug possession. Hence why Duterte considers himself the "Filipino Hitler" because of his policies and steadfast, extremist views.

Mayors opposing Duterte's orders were assassinated and were labeled "liberals". All of this is necessary to understand the fundamentals of his platform which include a history of abuse and suppression. This feeds into the Anti-Terror Bill and why the Junk Terror Bill is a movement fighting against the already passed legislation.

The Anti-Terror Bill was passed on July 3rd, 2020, and takes the Philippines' anti-terror approach to a whole new level. Individuals suspected of conspiring against the government will be arrested without warrants, interrogated through an abusive approach, and can be killed while detained. If an individual is proven to be innocent, he or she will have to file a lawsuit under a wrongful conviction for the very unlikely possibility of receiving money. Despite the exoneration ("the action of officially absolving someone from blame; vindication."), these individuals will face surveillance for life.

The Junk Terror Bill aims to turn around what the Anti-Terror Bill stands for. Unfortunately, despite the petitions, this cause has not received enough media attention and worldwide recognition. However, the fight will continue.