On February 2, the day the Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments on the petitions challenging the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Lt Gen Antonio Parlade Jr tool to Facebook to falsely accuse reporter Tetch Torres-Tupas of Inquirer.net of “fake news” and suggested she could be sued for “aiding terrorists.”
The reason for his anger: Tetch’s story on a petiton by two Aeta tribesmen asking to join the 37 petitions against this draconian law, a story based on court records that other justice reporters also reported.
Even earlier, this same Parlade attacked the people and groups contesting the ATL and left a chilling warning: “blood debts will be settled.” Words that, by any standard, constitute a death threat.
This is why we reject this law. Dangerous as it is in itself, in the hands of men like Parlade this law would bring about the absolute suppression of free expression, the criminalization of free thought!
This is why we resist this law, to defend our rights and liberties and prevent the death of democracy.
Reference:
National Directorate
+639175155991
