Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Thursday the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 11479, the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act, is ready for promulgation next month.
He says he has started reviewing the draft implementing rules and regulations before these are submitted to the Anti-Terrorism Council.
“I got the first draft of the IRR [on Wednesday]. Edits or changes will be made if necessary,” Guevarra told CNN Philippines.
“I hope it will be ready for promulgation before its deadline in October.”
After he reviews the draft IRR, Guevarra says, the Justice department will forward it to the ATC for its approval.
The law says the IRR should be promulgated 90 days after RA 11479 took effect in July.
And while the provisions of the anti-terrorism law may already be implemented, Guevarra says, it would be better for the authorities to wait for the IRR to be drafted and promulgated considering the many petitions filed before the Supreme Court challenging its constitutionality.
Thirty-four petitions have been filed before the high court against the anti-terrorism law, the most recent being the petition filed by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines last Friday.
Guevarra says there are sections of the law that must be fleshed out to prevent confusion or even abuse in its implementation.