THE PHILIPPINES’ debts has reached P12.68 trillion as of March, up by 4.8% or P586.29 billion higher than the P12.09 trillion recorded in February, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).
Showing posts with label Panfilo Lacson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Panfilo Lacson. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2022
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Time for 'politics of service', not of interest: Lacson
WITH THE country still facing huge problems due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the destruction left behind by Super Typhoon Odette (Rai), Senator Panfilo Lacson said now is the time for “politics of service, not of interest” after noting that some personalities use disasters as a platform for publicity and describing it as the lowest form of campaigning.
Sunday, November 7, 2021
Not only Duterte’s SALN is secret, prices of Covid vaccines too
NOT ONLY President Rodrigo Duterte’s SALNs or Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth is highly secretive, even the prices of Covid-19 vaccines are unknown to the public.
Thursday, August 26, 2021
DOH Sec. Duque, nakasandal sa pader!
NAGMISTULANG ABOGADO ni Health Secretary Francisco Duque si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte dahil sa matinding pagtatanggol nito sa kontrobersyal na Cabinet members matapos na kwestunin ng Commission on Audit (COA) ang P63.7 bilyon Covid-19 funds ng ahensya.
Sunday, July 4, 2021
Congress to decide on BARMM’s fate
PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte said it is now up to Congress whether to postpone or not the BARMM’s first regular elections which will be held simultaneously with the national and local polls next year.
Monday, May 3, 2021
Sumuko na ba si Duterte sa China?
SINABI NI Senador Panfilo Lacson na hindi dapat magbitiw ng salita si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na tila sumusuko sa pakikipaglaban sa China sa pagtatanggol ng teritoryo ng bansa.
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Extortion?
FILIPINO LEADER Rodrigo Duterte was strongly criticized for asking the United States to pay up if it wants to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines, a long-time ally of Washington in Southeast Asia.
Friday, January 22, 2021
Duterte offers Pfizer to Senators
‘President defends Chinese Covid vaccines, gets 25 million doses’
DAVAO CITY – Following the reported deaths of at two dozen elderly people who had received the Pfizer Covid vaccine in Norway, President Duterte now asked Filipino senators, who are questioning his choice of the Chinese vaccine Sinovac, if they want to be inoculated with Pfizer.
Saturday, January 9, 2021
Duterte borrows money anew
THE DUTERTE administration has borrowed money again and this time from Japan further sinking the country in debts.
Covid vaccines, where is it?
THE PHILIPPINES continues to negotiate with six Covid-19 vaccine developers and is planning to sign deals for 148 million doses.
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Philippines’ debts now at over P10 trillion. Where’s the money?
FORMER NATIONAL Police chief and now Senator Panfilo Lacson scored the Duterte government’s penchant for borrowing, but not always with the corresponding results.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Duterte scraps VFA; wrong move, says Pentagon
‘I don't really mind if they would like to do that, it will save a lot of money – Trump’
PRESIDENT DUTERTE’s termination of the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States was a wrong move, the Pentagon said, but it will save a lot of money for Washington, according to President Donald Trump.
When asked whether he would try to persuade Duterte to reconsider his decision to scrap the VFA, Trump said: “Well I never minded that very much, to be honest. We helped the Philippines very much. We helped them defeat ISIS ... I don't really mind if they would like to do that, it will save a lot of money. My views are different from others.”
Friday, January 31, 2020
Duterte to make good his threats to scrap VFA
FILIPINO LEADER Rodrigo Duterte has vowed for the second time to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States after Washington cancelled the visa of former Philippine police chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa, and forbidden his Cabinet members to go to the United States.
“I am terminating. I was not joking. The day I said it was the day that I decided it should be terminated. Alam mo sabi nila na it’s my — subject to my whim, ‘yung kapritso. No. It started when they mentioned about the resolution in the US Senate. They were trying to figure — trying to figure out who would be the persons who will be barred from entering. Noon pa lang nag — ‘yung utak ko gumagalaw na. Ganun ako eh, hindi naman ako naghihintay,” he told reporters.
“I am terminating. I was not joking. The day I said it was the day that I decided it should be terminated. Alam mo sabi nila na it’s my — subject to my whim, ‘yung kapritso. No. It started when they mentioned about the resolution in the US Senate. They were trying to figure — trying to figure out who would be the persons who will be barred from entering. Noon pa lang nag — ‘yung utak ko gumagalaw na. Ganun ako eh, hindi naman ako naghihintay,” he told reporters.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Heavier penalties sought for false testimony
SENATOR PANFILO Lacson said there is a need for a stronger law that would impose heavier penalties on lying witnesses, including public officials and employees who may be behind them.
“Naging tig-singkong duling na lang ang pagsisinungaling under oath sa Pilipinas. That is why there is a compelling need for a stronger perjury law,” he said, stressing this is “a matter of punishing not personalities but the act of giving false testimony.”
“Naging tig-singkong duling na lang ang pagsisinungaling under oath sa Pilipinas. That is why there is a compelling need for a stronger perjury law,” he said, stressing this is “a matter of punishing not personalities but the act of giving false testimony.”
Saturday, April 6, 2019
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Friday, March 15, 2019
Arroyo may be charged for signing ‘modified’ 2019 budget
HOUSE SPEAKER Gloria Arroyo may be charged with “falsification of records of legislative process: after she signed the House of Representatives' version of the 2019 national budget containing amendments that were made after ratification, Senator Panfilo Lacson said.
Lacson said Arroyo signed the House version of the budget bill that was different from the bicameral conference committee report that both chambers of Congress had ratified.
He said Arroyo's act is tantamount to falsification of the records of the legislative process. "Since SGMA already signed the (House) version of the enrolled bill, she’s already prone to being charged with falsification because she’s already certified something that did not take place. Sine-certify mo ito approved sa plenaryo. The act of signing a falsified document is already consummated. So any taxpayer can go to the Ombudsman or DOJ (Department of Justice) to file a criminal complaint against her for falsification," Lacson said.
Lacson warned Senate President Vicente Sotto III against signing the modified version of the budget measure as it violates the Constitution. "We will not also allow our SP (Senate President) to be exposed to possible criminal charges or criminal investigation later on. Ang House, huwag nila kami pilitin mag-violate ng Constitution)," he said.
Sotto earlier said he will not sign an enrolled copy of the budget bill for the President’s signature if the lower chamber insists on its post-bicam amendments. The proposed 2019 budget containing House amendments was already transmitted to the Senate for Sotto's signature.
Both signatures of the Speaker and the Senate President are needed before the measure can be transmitted to Malacañang for the President's signature.
Congressional leaders had met with President Rodrigo Duterte to resolve the ongoing budget impasse, but no consensus has been reached. Lacson said his suggestion to revert to the ratified version of the 2019 budget was endorsed to the President by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.
House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro, however, said House appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. had reservations in retaining the bicam version of the budget bill with lump sum appropriations as this would be unconstitutional. (Filane Mikee Cervantes)
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Lacson said Arroyo signed the House version of the budget bill that was different from the bicameral conference committee report that both chambers of Congress had ratified.
He said Arroyo's act is tantamount to falsification of the records of the legislative process. "Since SGMA already signed the (House) version of the enrolled bill, she’s already prone to being charged with falsification because she’s already certified something that did not take place. Sine-certify mo ito approved sa plenaryo. The act of signing a falsified document is already consummated. So any taxpayer can go to the Ombudsman or DOJ (Department of Justice) to file a criminal complaint against her for falsification," Lacson said.
Lacson warned Senate President Vicente Sotto III against signing the modified version of the budget measure as it violates the Constitution. "We will not also allow our SP (Senate President) to be exposed to possible criminal charges or criminal investigation later on. Ang House, huwag nila kami pilitin mag-violate ng Constitution)," he said.
Sotto earlier said he will not sign an enrolled copy of the budget bill for the President’s signature if the lower chamber insists on its post-bicam amendments. The proposed 2019 budget containing House amendments was already transmitted to the Senate for Sotto's signature.
Both signatures of the Speaker and the Senate President are needed before the measure can be transmitted to Malacañang for the President's signature.
Congressional leaders had met with President Rodrigo Duterte to resolve the ongoing budget impasse, but no consensus has been reached. Lacson said his suggestion to revert to the ratified version of the 2019 budget was endorsed to the President by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.
House Majority Leader Fredenil Castro, however, said House appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. had reservations in retaining the bicam version of the budget bill with lump sum appropriations as this would be unconstitutional. (Filane Mikee Cervantes)
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Sunday, March 10, 2019
'Pork' still a feast to lawmakers
SENATOR PANFILO Lacson said he laments the “pork barrel” system, whose abolition he sought in a privilege speech as early as 2003, leads to instances of corruption involving irregularities such as commissions and ghost employees.
"It's bad enough that much is lost to corruption. But it's worse that more is lost to incompetence, where the lack of planning leads to the haphazard - and potentially deadly - implementation of projects," Lacson said.
He said causing further wastage are incompetence and inefficient planning of projects such as roads and bridges, which could have potentially deadly consequences. "We pay our taxes and some of us even go hungry because we do not have enough left to buy basic necessities. A recent post about a pupil using an improvised ball pen because he could not afford one went viral. Why do such things happen? Because there are those who steal from the budget," he added.
Lacson recently bared a scheme by leaders of the House of Representatives to manipulate the bicameral committee report on the P3.757-trillion budget for 2019.
Citing information from some House members themselves, Lacson said the manipulations include a menu list of the Department of Health appropriations for Health Facilities Enhancement Program worth P25 million in individual allocations for congressmen favored by Speaker Gloria Arroyo.
These include a P2.5-million allocation for the purchase of an ambulance, he said, but those who did not support Arroyo's election as Speaker were left with only P8 million. Lacson branded this as "brazen, illegal act" after the bicameral report had been ratified by both houses smacks of grave abuse of discretion Arroyo, and violates the 1987 Constitution's provision barring amendments to a bill upon its last reading.
Even the reported claim of House appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. that the House is merely itemizing appropriations cannot be justified, Lacson said.
"As if the act of 'itemizing' the allocations in the bicam can justify or cure what is explicitly provided under Art. VI Sec. 26 (2) of the Constitution, thus: 'Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto shall be allowed,” he said. Exposing attempts to sneak "pork" into the national budget is part of a patriotic duty to ensure good governance through the proper spending of Filipino taxpayers' money, Lacson said.
He said that as a lawmaker, it is his job to thwart attempts by some solons to circumvent the Supreme Court's 2013 ruling declaring "pork" as unconstitutional, lest public money is lost to corruption and incompetence.
"If by exposing all attempts by some lawmakers to go around the Supreme Court ruling declaring pork as unconstitutional, thus stymieing the selfish interests of those elected to perform their legislative duty, I'll be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that I've done my share in guarding against unnecessary wastage of public funds that has prevented our country from taking off and become competitive," he said.
"My critics would claim I am just making a lot of noise but I do not let such negative comments affect, much less stop me. This is my biggest advocacy because the budget is the lifeblood of the nation. If this blood is taken away, the nation may suffer from anemia, or even a stroke," he said. (With a report from the Mindanao Examiner)
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"It's bad enough that much is lost to corruption. But it's worse that more is lost to incompetence, where the lack of planning leads to the haphazard - and potentially deadly - implementation of projects," Lacson said.
He said causing further wastage are incompetence and inefficient planning of projects such as roads and bridges, which could have potentially deadly consequences. "We pay our taxes and some of us even go hungry because we do not have enough left to buy basic necessities. A recent post about a pupil using an improvised ball pen because he could not afford one went viral. Why do such things happen? Because there are those who steal from the budget," he added.
Lacson recently bared a scheme by leaders of the House of Representatives to manipulate the bicameral committee report on the P3.757-trillion budget for 2019.
Citing information from some House members themselves, Lacson said the manipulations include a menu list of the Department of Health appropriations for Health Facilities Enhancement Program worth P25 million in individual allocations for congressmen favored by Speaker Gloria Arroyo.
These include a P2.5-million allocation for the purchase of an ambulance, he said, but those who did not support Arroyo's election as Speaker were left with only P8 million. Lacson branded this as "brazen, illegal act" after the bicameral report had been ratified by both houses smacks of grave abuse of discretion Arroyo, and violates the 1987 Constitution's provision barring amendments to a bill upon its last reading.
Even the reported claim of House appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. that the House is merely itemizing appropriations cannot be justified, Lacson said.
"As if the act of 'itemizing' the allocations in the bicam can justify or cure what is explicitly provided under Art. VI Sec. 26 (2) of the Constitution, thus: 'Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto shall be allowed,” he said. Exposing attempts to sneak "pork" into the national budget is part of a patriotic duty to ensure good governance through the proper spending of Filipino taxpayers' money, Lacson said.
He said that as a lawmaker, it is his job to thwart attempts by some solons to circumvent the Supreme Court's 2013 ruling declaring "pork" as unconstitutional, lest public money is lost to corruption and incompetence.
"If by exposing all attempts by some lawmakers to go around the Supreme Court ruling declaring pork as unconstitutional, thus stymieing the selfish interests of those elected to perform their legislative duty, I'll be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that I've done my share in guarding against unnecessary wastage of public funds that has prevented our country from taking off and become competitive," he said.
"My critics would claim I am just making a lot of noise but I do not let such negative comments affect, much less stop me. This is my biggest advocacy because the budget is the lifeblood of the nation. If this blood is taken away, the nation may suffer from anemia, or even a stroke," he said. (With a report from the Mindanao Examiner)
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Solons say wiretapped info on so-called ‘narco list’ cannot be used as court evidence
LAWMAKERS said illegally wiretapped information, even if provided by foreign governments, is a "fruit of the poisonous tree" and therefore inadmissible in court.
Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo's claim that the information involving personalities and political figures with drug links were sourced from wiretapped communications done by foreign governments. Fruit of the poisonous tree is a legal doctrine which describes evidence obtained indirectly through illicit means and is inadmissible in court.
"Malacañang's claim that the narco list information is based on wiretaps done by foreign governments doesn't make things right unless those who conducted the wiretap were armed with judicial authorization in which case, the proceeds should have been used as evidence in court as it has strong probative and evidentiary value to prosecute the personalities involved. Upon the other hand, if the wiretap is done illegally, it is nothing but the fruit of a poisonous tree," Lacson said.
Senator Franklin Drilon also echoed Lacson's remark, saying the wiretapped information has no value at all. "It cannot be used as evidence, having been obtained illegally. In law, such 'wiretapped' information is the 'fruit of the poisonous tree' not admissible as evidence," Drilon said.
Panelo earlier said there is nothing wrong with receiving wiretapped communications from foreign countries even though wiretapping is illegal under Philippine law. But Republic Act 4200, or the Anti-Wiretapping Law, prohibits the tapping of any wire or cable or using other devices to record, intercept, or secretly overhear any private communication or spoken word when it is unauthorized by all parties in the conversation, except when it is done pursuant to a court order.
The government said the list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade is set to be made public to enable voters to make a wise choice in May's mid-term elections. "We hope to release it…we are vetting it right now. We are making sure of the list," said Department of the Interior and Local Government spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya. While several senators have opposed the disclosure of the names on the list, Malaya said the public has the right to be informed regarding this matter.
"To us, since the election is coming and we want to eradicate drugs, the people should be aware of the protectors, the coddlers of drug syndicates. We have a different opinion with the senators," he said. But it was unclear why the government up to now has not filed criminal charges against those in the so-called narco list. (Filane Mikee Cervantes)
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Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo's claim that the information involving personalities and political figures with drug links were sourced from wiretapped communications done by foreign governments. Fruit of the poisonous tree is a legal doctrine which describes evidence obtained indirectly through illicit means and is inadmissible in court.
"Malacañang's claim that the narco list information is based on wiretaps done by foreign governments doesn't make things right unless those who conducted the wiretap were armed with judicial authorization in which case, the proceeds should have been used as evidence in court as it has strong probative and evidentiary value to prosecute the personalities involved. Upon the other hand, if the wiretap is done illegally, it is nothing but the fruit of a poisonous tree," Lacson said.
Senator Franklin Drilon also echoed Lacson's remark, saying the wiretapped information has no value at all. "It cannot be used as evidence, having been obtained illegally. In law, such 'wiretapped' information is the 'fruit of the poisonous tree' not admissible as evidence," Drilon said.
Panelo earlier said there is nothing wrong with receiving wiretapped communications from foreign countries even though wiretapping is illegal under Philippine law. But Republic Act 4200, or the Anti-Wiretapping Law, prohibits the tapping of any wire or cable or using other devices to record, intercept, or secretly overhear any private communication or spoken word when it is unauthorized by all parties in the conversation, except when it is done pursuant to a court order.
The government said the list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade is set to be made public to enable voters to make a wise choice in May's mid-term elections. "We hope to release it…we are vetting it right now. We are making sure of the list," said Department of the Interior and Local Government spokesperson, Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya. While several senators have opposed the disclosure of the names on the list, Malaya said the public has the right to be informed regarding this matter.
"To us, since the election is coming and we want to eradicate drugs, the people should be aware of the protectors, the coddlers of drug syndicates. We have a different opinion with the senators," he said. But it was unclear why the government up to now has not filed criminal charges against those in the so-called narco list. (Filane Mikee Cervantes)
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Sunday, November 18, 2018
Senate backs creation of court for police abuses
A SENATE COMMITTEE is backing the creation of a special court that will handle cases of abuse involving police officers to reform the Philippine National Police (PNP) and better protect the public.
The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, chaired by Senator Richard Gordon, is pushing for Senate Bill No. 1399 or the "Police Court Act of 2017", which is already on second reading. "The objective of the bill is to shine the spotlight of responsibility on the law in the matter of police cases involving violation of constitutional rights, as well as crimes perpetrated by police officers upon the public," Gordon, the bill's author and sponsor, said.
Apart from Gordon, the bill was also authored by Senators Panfilo Lacson and Loren Legarda. The bill, Gordon said, will mandate the creation of a special court to be designated as the Police Law Enforcement Court or "Police Court" among existing Regional Trial Courts (RTCs), which will have original exclusive jurisdiction "on all civil and criminal cases involving the abuse of authority of members of the PNP, whether in or off duty."
The Police Court will handle cases arising out of violations by a member of the PNP of its operational procedures, rules of engagement and other protocols, as well as complaints for violation of constitutional rights involving police officers. Gordon added that the Police Court would also have original jurisdiction on cases involving the writ of habeas corpus "when there is evidence that the victim is held under the custody of any of the members of the PNP."
The bill will also mandate the creation of an "Appellate Police Court" among the divisions of the Court of Appeals (CA) that will tackle appeals coming from the Police Court. Under the bill, he said the Supreme Court will provide periodic and continuous program for training "so that they would be familiar with police procedures in terms of rules of engagement."
Gordon said the reforms under Senate Bill 1399 are meant to provide an impartial and speedy disposition of complaints for violations of constitutional rights and PNP rules and procedures, "free from the 'kabaro' (colleague) system."
He said much is to be desired in the pace of prosecuting abusive police officers, noting the performance of the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS), the body authorized to conduct investigations and hearings on PNP members facing administrative charges.
As of August 2016, the IAS has reported only 839 pending cases, while the National Police Commission data from 2010 to 2015 showed 1,255 cases pending against nearly 4,000 police officers, Gordon said. "It takes years for a simple administrative matter to put a policeman under the heel of discipline," he pointed out. The bill, he added, is also a "cogent involvement and intervention by the legislature on the issues of extrajudicial killings, salvaging and riding-in-tandem crime."
"The police must be expected to perform their duties vigorously but, in so doing, they have no license to use overwhelming force or eliminate criminals acting as judge, jury and executioner. There are no shortcuts, and the police force must follow the rules of engagement and the rule of law in their operations against illegal drugs and other criminal activities," Gordon said.
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Saturday, October 6, 2018
Military wants stronger anti-terror law
PHILIPPINE MILITARY CHIEF Carlito Galvez has suggested that suspected terrorist should be detained for at least 30 days even without a valid court order considering the complexities of investigating terror acts in the present security landscape.
Galvez made the proposal during a recent Senate hearing on the proposed amendments to the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007. Senator Panfilo Lacson chairs the Senate Committee Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.
Under the said law, suspected terrorists “may not be detained for more than three days without the written approval of a municipal, city, provincial or regional official of a Human Rights Commission or judge of the municipal, regional trial court, the Sandiganbayan or a justice of the Court of Appeals nearest the place of the arrest.”
Galvez said the three-day reglementary period is not enough to get information from captured suspected and hardcore terrorists. “Based on our experience, if we were able to capture a very ideologue bomber, more or less wala tayong,” he said, citing the bombing in Sultan Kudarat’s Isulan town where troops captured several suspects, but the military was unable to get any information from them and released them.
“Because of our permissive laws, the bombers were able to be released from detention,” he said.
Besides, being able to get the substantive and corroborating information, Galvez said the 30-day detention period for suspected terrorist is also a good “disruptive measure” to prevent further threats.
“Normally, terrorists act within a cell or in different cells. Thirty days is also a pre-emptive measure, wherein if there are also other co-conspirators that will have a simultaneous terrorist attack, that 30 days is a good disruptive measure for counteractions to prevent imminent attacks,” he said.
“They can be a lone wolf or a pack of wolves, and sometimes deception is involved wherein a cell is meant to be captured to allow other cells to perpetrate a bigger attack. Thirty days would be enough to completely disrupt or completely defeat the threat.”
Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año agreed with Galvez, saying: “Thirty days is actually enough time for the security sector to conduct all intensive investigations, follow-up operations and counteractions.”
He, however, said it does not mean that the 30-day detention period would be used to the maximum. “If we have already neutralized the plan and can already file charges, even less than 30 days is enough. But the 30 day-period guarantees that the security forces can do its job properly,” said Año, a former military chief.
National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Alex Paul Monteagudo, said an extended detention period is needed adding that the country is facing a totally different security landscape than when the HSA was first passed.
“When the law was passed, there was no such problem as extremism or the type of threat that we are experiencing today,” he said.
Monteagudo said the Philippines now has the weakest anti-terrorism law in the region, and it is the reason why the country is attracting foreign terrorist fighters even from as far as Iraq, Syria and Morocco.
He said the proposal might not even be sufficient to determine the domestic and international links of the suspected terrorists. “The 30 days should even be extendable if necessary, considering that the investigations that we conduct not only concern domestic networks but also international networks.
It takes time for us to establish and coordinate with other foreign countries regarding the terrorist networks,” Monteagudo said. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also urged for a stronger anti-terrorism law, saying martial law would not be necessary if the country’s anti-terror law has more teeth.
President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the entire Mindanao under martial law from May 23, 2017 until the end of this year after Islamic State-inspired local and foreign terrorists seize Marawi City. Under martial law, security forces are allowed to make warrantless arrests.
Philippine police chief Oscar Albayalde also called for a stronger law against terrorism. “With the global threat of terrorism now confronting our country, today is the most opportune time to highlight the shortcomings of the provisions of the Human Security Act so that we may be able to craft a more effective anti-terrorism law, one that law enforcement and the military would not have the utmost difficulty in implementing,” he said.
Lacson is seeking to amend the provisions of HSA through his Senate Bill 1956, in order to strengthen a law that he said has become a “useless piece of legislation” through the years.
In pushing for stronger legislation, Lacson noted that since its enactment 11 years ago, no person or organization has been prosecuted under the HSA. Lacson, a former police chief, added that since the 9/11 terror attack against the United States, Australia has already legislated 61 new anti-terror measures.
“As lawmakers, we cannot in good conscience remain silent and do nothing about our primary law against terrorism, becoming nothing more than a useless piece of legislation,” the chairman of the Senate Committee Public Order and Dangerous Drugs said at the start of the hearing.
He said while an anti-terror law in itself cannot solve the problem of terrorism, government and law enforcers should be given the much-needed tool to prevent, respond to, and address the growing threat of terrorism.
“We cannot allow this to continue. We must act now. Our inaction will make us equally accountable for every death, injury and damage terrorists inflict on our country,” Lacson said. (Jose Cielito Reganit)
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