The highly controversial Anti-Terror Law of 2020 that became a subject of constitutional inquiry by fourteen groups before the Supreme Court of the Philippines is now in effect.
However, Department of Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra warns authorities against acting based on the law since there is still no Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). The IRR is an integral component of any law passed by Congress because it specifically identifies allowable and disallowed acts.
Guevarra says his department has ninety days to finish the IRR of Republic Act no. 11479. Â This IRR will become the basis of all enforcement agencies in implementing the law.
Without an IRR, it would be prudent says Guevarra, for law enforcement agents to just wait for its promulgation before doing anything. The IRR will spell out operational details and standards for the proper implementation of the law.
Any action undertaken by any law enforcement agency prior to the enactment of the IRR may be taken into court, says Guevarra.
One of the contentious provisions in the law has to do with its provisions on protest actions in relation to section 4 of the law. Guevarra says this is one provision that the DOJ and the Anti-Terror Council (ATC) should really look into more thoroughly.
