ATC can’t pay for fine on law enforces who err in implementing anti-terror law

By Ronron
July 20, 2007

The Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) said on Friday that it cannot shoulder the fine that may be paid for law enforcers who erred in implementing the Human Security Act of 2007.

ATC spokesman Atty. Ricardo Blancaflor told reporters in an interview in Paranaque City that the agencies where the erring law enforcers belong will really have to pay for the penalties, such as the P500,000 for every day that a wrong terror suspect is detained.

In an press briefing last Wednesday at Camp Crame, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Calderon admitted the agency cannot afford to shoulder the P500,000 daily penalty and proposed that the ATC should pay for it.

But Blancaflor said the issue should not be fear of paying for the fine but implementing the law properly and religiously.

“We should just be careful (if we want to avoid being fined). I’d like to think positively instead of negatively because the law may not just be implemented at all. Let’s just hope that our law enforcers do the right thing,” Blancaflor said.

He assured that the law enforcers will be specially trained for the implementation of the law so avoid mistakes.

“This just can’t be implemented by ordinary policemen. For the law enforcers to implement this law, it is clear in the law that only those who are authorized by the anti-terror council can do it. There should be a team of law enforces, composed of members of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the PNP and if necessary, of the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation,” Blancaflor explained.

“They will have a special training and we will do that in the coming weeks,” he added.

Blancaflor said he is appealing to the law enforcers to changer their ways because “the law really requires cultural change.”

Asked on what should the law enforcers improve, he cited for example the filing of cases. “We are used to rushing in filing a case. Now, we should be clear about having sufficient and correct evidence.”

“This is really a challenge to our law enforcers,” Blancaflor said of the law.

Reminded of his earlier pronouncement that the law does not mention of any fund provision for the council, Blancaflor said what the government intends to do is raise the budget for every agency that is part of the ATC.

“For 2008, we will insert the fund (for the ATC) to the budget of the members of the ATC – the Executive Secretary’s budget, the Department of Justice’ budget, and the five members – Department of National Defense, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Finance, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the National Security Adviser,” Blancaflor said./DMS