NEW YORK CITY — Even after a Manila court dismissed the bid seeking to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army as terrorist groups, Malacañang said the fight is far from over.
The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19 junked the proscription case that was organized but not for terrorism.
The Department of Justice filed the proscription case in 2018 to declare the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group.
In a press briefing here, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, a lawyer, said the fight had just begun.
“This still has some way to go. And you know, we don’t even know what parameters are here. By then, we’ll understand what remedies will be available if remedies are even necessary,” she said.
Angeles pointed out that the decision is “not yet final,” since the decision only came from the RTC.
“This is an RTC decision, there are still available remedies for our government, but we also want to see the details on this one,” she said.
She averred that if the case was filed under the Human Security Act, the government can use the Anti-Terrorism Law as the remedy.
“Who filed the case? Under what law? Because I understand this might have been filed under the Human Security Act rather than the Terrorism Act. So, these details are still not available to us, so it would be improper to comment right now,” she noted.
“So, let’s see. Because this is just the RTC. Under the Terrorism Act, it would have been filed with the Court of Appeals,” she added.
Under the decision, it was stated that terrorism “does not flourish in a healthy, vibrant democracy, wherefore, premises considered, the instant petition is hereby dismissed.”
The proscription case was filed under the Human Security Act, or Republic Act 9372. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said the DoJ will file a motion for reconsideration against the court’s decision.