Inhuman Security Act
(The Human Security Act of 2007)

Undeterred by domestic and international complaints against human rights abuses under its regime, as well as the Supreme Court’s declarations of the unconstitutionality of its oppressive Calibrated Preemptive Response policy and provisions of Proclamation 1017 and E.O. 464, the Arroyo government pushed the passage of The Human Security Act of 2007.

We place the HSA in the same category as the CPR policy, the unconstitutional raids and arrests provided under Proc. 1017, and the unbelievably broad executive privilege under E.O. 464, for being similarly unnecessary, excessive and oppressive in a democracy as will be explained below.

Already punishable acts

First of all, the acts that make up the definition of terrorism under the HSA are all already prohibited under the Revised Penal Code (RPC) or other special laws. They are:

a)Piracy in General and Mutiny in the High Seas or in the Philippine Waters (Art.122, RPC);
b)Rebellion or Insurrection (Art. 134, RPC);
c)Coup d' Etat (Art. 134-a, RPC);
d)Murder (Art. 248, RPC);
e)Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention (Art. 267, RPC);
f)Crimes Involving Destruction (Art. 324, RPC);
g)Arson (P.D. 1613);
h)violating the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Control Act of 1990 (R.A. 6969);
i)violating the Atomic Energy Regulatory and Liability Act of 1968 (R.A. 5207);
j)violating the Anti-Hijacking Law (R.A. 6235);
k)violating the Anti-Piracy and Anti-Highway Robbery Law of 1974 (P.D. 532); and
l)violating the Decree Codifying the Laws on Illegal and Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition of Firearms, Ammunitions or Explosives (P.D. 1866, as amended )

So what makes the commission of these acts terrorism? Well, the law says that if any of them are done “thereby sowing and creating a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace, in order to coerce the government to give in to an unlawful demand” then terrorism is committed.

So what’s wrong you say? Well, let’s tackle the obvious:

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