SC denies with finality petitions challenging RA 11479

Citing lack of substantial issues and arguments raised by the petitioners, the Supreme Court (SC) en banc denied with finality today, April 26, the motions for reconsideration of its December 7, 2021 decision on the petitions challenging Republic Act (RA) No. 11479 or The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

In a media briefer released today, the SC-PIO stated that the Members of the Court maintained their votes in their December 7, 2021 Decision, with then Associate Justice and now Judicial Academy Chancellor Rosmari D. Carandang as the ponencia.

Additionally, newly appointed Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr. sided with the majority, the press briefer further stated.

Moreover, the Court also immediately ordered for an Entry of Judgment.

In the said challenged Decision, the SC declared unconstitutional only two provisions of the assailed RA 11479, which include the qualifier portion of Section 4 that states, “…which are not intended to cause death or serious physical harm to a person, to endanger a person’s life, or to create a serious risk to public safety,” and the second method for designation under section 25, which states that, “Request for designations by other jurisdictions or supranational jurisdictions may be adopted by the ATC after determination that the proposed designee meets the criteria for designation of UNSCR No. 1373.” All the other assailed provisions were declared constitutional.