MANILA-A Manila court has dismissed a petition for proscription filed by the government in 2018 to formally outlaw the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) under the old Human Security Act (HSA). In its 135-decision dated Sept. 21, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19 Judge Marlo A. Magdoza-Malagar noted, among other things, that under Sec. 26 of the Anti-Terror Act of 2020 which superseded the HSA, the proscription of terrorist organizations, association or group of persons shall now be made by an application of the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the Court of Appeals (CA). "The instant petition is hereby dismissed," Malagar said. Government lawyers said they are evaluating their next move in the development. "We are going to study the decision first," DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano told newsmen. Last May, the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) designated as terrorists six high-ranking communist leaders, incl
MANILA - The Anti-Terrorism Council has designated as terrorists six high-ranking communist leaders, including National Democratic Front's Luis G. Jalandoni, and five figureheads of Abu Sayyaf Group, and Daulah Islamiyah after careful verification and validation. The ATC, in a press statement Wednesday, said the two separate resolutions signed by ATC vice-chairperson Hermogenes Esperon, Jr on May 25, 2022, are in accordance with Section 25's Paragraph 3 of RA 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 which states "the ATC may designate an individual, group of persons, organization, or association, whether domestic or foreign, upon a finding of probable cause that the individual, groups of persons, organization, or association, whether domestic or foreign, upon a finding of probable cause that the individual, group of persons, organization, or association commit, or attempt to commit or conspire in the commission of the acts defined and penalized under Sections 4, 5, 6,