TWO student organizations of the University of the East-Manila conducted webinars on two major issues — Charter change and the Anti-Terror Law.

The Political Science Society, with the support of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, led the webinar on constitutional reforms. The lecture clarified the controversies surrounding moves to amend the Constitution that has picked up pace in Congress.

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya discussed the joint resolution passed by the House of Representatives that aims to ease  economic restrictions imposed by the 1987 Constitution.

“Kahit po kami sa DILG ay hindi susuportahan itong mga amendments kung may kasama itong political amendments,” Malaya said.

Secretary Gary Olivar, Director of the Center for Strategy, Enterprise and Intelligence, echoed House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s statement that opening the economy is “the sole priority of this amendment.”

“Iisang reporma lang ang tatalakayin, ang pagbukas sa foreign investment,” Olivar stressed.

The other speakers were Professor Eric Daniel De Torres of the UE Political Science Department who talked about Regional Development Councils and Prof. Alfred Sureta, Jr. who spoke about the suggested readjustment of the formula for the Internal Revenue Allotment for Local Government Units.

Meanwhile, the Debate and Speech Society held a webinar on Anti-Terror Law.

With the theme “Tagged: Dealing with Red-tagging Incidents and the Anti-Terror Law,” the webinar was spearheaded by human rights advocate and educator Atty. Ernesto Neri.

Neri said that the ATL does not solely intend to abolish terrorism but to silence those who express sensible criticism and dissent towards a compromise or change.

“With the current justice system, military personnel and law enforcement agents can use the ATL as a justification to detain students, media practitioners, and normal citizens. The same misuse of power is seen in our country’s war on drugs, leaving thousands of Filipinos killed without lawful means,” he warned.

Neri lamented that the administration’s priority is not aligned with the solutions the people need amid the pandemic.

He added that the government is “undeniably using this as a chance to restrain people’s rights.”

“The ATL can also attack freedom of speech, allowing an excuse to a state-led investigation, leaving the activists, students, campus, and professional journalists prone to being red-tagged. And law enforcement agents could even carry out a warrantless arrest without incurring the liability under Article 125 of the revised penal code,” Neri said.