SEVERAL youth groups on Tuesday joined other organizations in calling for the junking of the Anti-Terrorism Law as the Supreme Court opened oral arguments on the case.

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines said the law will  “suppress democratic rights and imperil the lives of activists, advocates, and even ordinary Filipinos, who outrightly enunciate their dissent.”

“As the oral arguments on Anti-Terror Law before the Supreme Court occurs, we express our profound support to these 13 progressive lawyers who will face Solicitor General Jose Calida to fight for our democratic and constitutional rights against the unlawful and unjust wills of the real terrorists: President Rodrigo Duterte and his cohorts,” CEGP said in a statement.

It said that even at the time of the pandemic, the administration is desperate to fulfill “dictatorial ambitions” through ATL.

“The attempt to silence our voices galvanized us more to write and criticize any form of state fascism that arises while continuing in shedding the light on the real condition of the masses in times of global health crisis,” it said.

Last year, 16 youth groups asked the Supreme Court to strike down several provisions of the ATL.

Young human rights defenders, good governance and climate justice advocates and university student councils filed the 14th petition against the law.

Groups including the Kabataang Tagapagtanggol ng Karapatan and Youth for Human Rights and Democracy said the language of the ATL, including its definitions of the crimes of terrorism and inciting to terrorism, is vague.

“As it is written under the Anti-Terror Law, any form of speech may possibly be punished in connection to terrorism,” the petitioners said, arguing that the law does not provide any metric for which speech or speech-related conduct creates a “serious risk to public safety.”

The guild urged the Supreme Court to uphold its duty to defend freedom of expression and prevent the “worsening situation” of human rights in the country.

“We are once again making our voice and stance resonate that will see the Duterte regime’s despotism and tyranny to its end,” CEGP said.

“In these crucial times, it is only imperative that we, campus journalists and the Filipino people, become part of history by taking a stand, speaking out, and joining the fight of the Filipino people,” it added.

Meanwhile, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago expressed support to fellow petitioners and the esteemed counsels against ATL.

“Puno ng pag-asa na mananaig ang katuwiran, karapatan at katarungan laban sa abuso, panunupil at pasismo. Spread the hope. Laban!,” Elago said.