Cebu City South District Representative Rodrigo Bebot Abellanosa.
CEBU CITY, Philippines– Cebu City 2nd District Representative Rodrigo ‘Bebot’ Abellanosa said he believed that the anti-terror bill could have been improved if only there was more than two days given to the House of Representatives to deliberate about the law.
Today, July 3, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the bill into law despite the criticisms and oppositions of other lawmakers.
Read more: BREAKING: Duterte signs anti-terror bill into law
Read more: ‘Very timely, historic’: Senators laud passage of anti-terror bill despite ‘pressures’
In a text message sent to CDN Digital, Abellanosa said that he was not in favor of the bill with its present form and that it could have been improved had there been more time for deliberation to be able to address sensitive issues.
“Now that the President has signed it into law, questions on its constitutionality can now be brought before the Supreme Court,” reads a portion of Abellanosa’s message to CDN Digital.
Abellanosa during the voting for the passing of the bill in congress last June 4, was among the 29 lawmakers who abstained to vote while 39 opposed and 173 voted in favor.
Included among those who voted in favor of the bill were Representatives Raul Del Mar (Cebu City, 1st District); Paz Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City), Emmarie ‘Lolypop’ Ouano-Dizon (Cebu, 6th District), Peter John Calderon (Cebu, 7th District), Janice Salimbangon (Cebu, 4th District), and Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd District).
Read: 6 Cebuano lawmakers voted in favor of Anti-Terror Bill