Cong Tony Cuenco: The Fight against Terror (sponsorship speech on the Anti-Terrorism Bill, delivered on November 29, 2005) - Part 2

Cuenco, a seasoned legislator, authored the passage of numerous laws in the country among them: the Local Government Code (partnered in the Senate by his classmate and ally, Senator Pimentel), the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and the Philippine Baseline Law. He also sponsored the passage of the country’s first anti-terror law then called as the Human Security Act of 2007. He championed its passage parrying opposition by his peers in Congress. CEBUpedia is reproducing his sponsorship, as even up to now it answers the questions of the critics of the new law, The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020:

(Continued from previous part)

For prevention is better than punishment, because in prevention we protect the intended victims—while in punishment we cannot bring back the dead.

In the Revised Penal Code, an act is punished after it is committed. In this Anti-Terrorism Bill, an act is sought to be prevented.

In the Revised Penal Code, the rule is reactive. In this Bill, it is pro-active.

In the Revised Penal Code, it is a simple matter of investigating the fact. In this Bill, it is a complex effort to plan and engage in prospective operations.

In the Revised Penal Code, it is punishment. In this Bill it is deterrence.

We cannot plan ahead and prevent acts of terrorism unless we revise our old laws and habits and adopt a new orientation to meet new situations and adopt new necessities.

If we do not adjust our laws to the new capabilities acquired by the terrorists, we cannot fight them successfully. We would be like Manny Pacquiao fighting Eric Morales with one arm tied behind his back.

We cannot engage the terrorists in a deadly war with such a stupid disadvantage.

As of now, the terrorists have the initial advantage of striking where they want, how they want, whom they want, when they want.

On the other hand, all that governments can do is come up what is largely a blind defense- blind because the terrorist deed had already wrought its damage before we can even start to react.

We cannot live with this especially in this cruel new world large-scale, high-tech, worldwide terrorism where the Philippines figures as one of the leading terrorist lairs.

Mr. Speaker, our defense should not really be blind. The means of electronic bugging and surveillance that are available in this digitally sophisticated world offer us the chance to hit the terrorists before they strike.

In this deadly struggle, we must overhaul our laws on wiretapping and privacy, which are the shield behind which the terrorists plan and mobilize their attacks. (To be continued)