Taylor Swift lends voice to #JunkTerrorBill cause in PH

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - International pop superstar Taylor Swift has joined calls to junk a new anti-terrorism bill that President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing, which some lawyers and human rights activists warned could be abused to target his detractors.</p><p>Swift, in a story on Instagram where she has 133 million followers, shared links on information and a donation drive related to the measure. It contained the hashtags #JunkTerrorBill, #MassTestingNowPH and #OustDuterte. </p><p>She also shared information about the US protests over the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody. </p><p>&quot;When you’re done: Educate yourself. This doesn’t go away once the topic isn’t trending,&quot; her Instagram story read. </p><p>Duterte has certified as <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/01/20/duterte-certifies-anti-terror-bill-as-urgent">urgent </a>the bill that would authorize the government to wiretap suspects, arrest them without warrants and hold them without charge for 14 days, among others provisions. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/02/20/house-passes-anti-terror-bill-on-2nd-reading">House passes anti-terror bill on 2nd readin</a></li></ul><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/06/03/swift-1.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/06/03/swift-2.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/06/03/swift-3.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/life/06/03/swift-4.jpg"/></div></div><div class="slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>This screen grab shows Taylor Swift&#x27;s Instagram story about the Philippine anti-terrorism bill and the &quot;Black Lives Matter&quot; movement in the US. <cite>Courtesy of Instagram account @taylorswift</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>This screen grab shows Taylor Swift&#x27;s Instagram story about the Philippine anti-terrorism bill and the &quot;Black Lives Matter&quot; movement in the US. <cite>Courtesy of Instagram account @taylorswift</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>This screen grab shows Taylor Swift&#x27;s Instagram story about the Philippine anti-terrorism bill and the &quot;Black Lives Matter&quot; movement in the US. <cite>Courtesy of Instagram account @taylorswift</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>This screen grab shows Taylor Swift&#x27;s Instagram story about the Philippine anti-terrorism bill and the &quot;Black Lives Matter&quot; movement in the US. <cite>Courtesy of Instagram account @taylorswift</cite></p></div></div></div><p>Opponents of the bill fear it could be used to suppress free speech and harass those who challenge Duterte, who commands a legislative majority and influence within the judiciary and state institutions.</p><p>&quot;We think this is against the constitution,&quot; said human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno. &quot;Given the broader definition of terrorism, the administration&#x27;s critics could be tagged as suspected terrorists.&quot;</p><p>Opposition lawmaker Edcel Lagman criticized Duterte for prioritizing the passage of a bill he described as &quot;draconian&quot; over an economic stimulus package pending congressional approval, which aims to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>Duterte was &quot;tightening the noose on suspected terrorists at the expense of the protection of human rights and civil liberties,&quot; said Lagman, who is also a human rights lawyer. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/03/20/24-day-detention-without-charges-anti-terror-bill-unconstitutional-says-rights-lawyer">&#x27;24-day detention without charges&#x27;: Anti-terror bill unconstitutional, says rights lawyer</a></li></ul><p>Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque dismissed the criticism and said elements of the bill were patterned on those used in countries that had dealt effectively with extremism.</p><p>He said the 5-month takeover in 2017 of the southern city of Marawi by militants loyal to Islamic State showed the extent of extremist influence in the country.</p><p>&quot;Let us not forget, the remains of Marawi is still there,&quot; Roque said. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/03/20/anti-terror-bill-wont-suppress-free-speech-vows-duterte-spokesman">Anti-terror bill won’t suppress free speech, vows Duterte spokesman</a></li></ul><p>Swift has performed at 2 sold-out concerts in the Philippines. </p><p>In the past few years, she has opened up about politics after initially struggling to control her own voice as an artist who found massive fame at a young age. </p><p>She endorsed Democratic candidates in Tennessee in 2018 and has criticized US President Donald Trump previously. <strong>-- With reports from Agence France-Presse and Reuters </strong></p>

<p>Pop icon Taylor Swift has joined calls to junk a new anti-terrorism bill that President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing, which some lawyers and human rights activists warned could be abused to target his detractors. </p>

Pop icon Taylor Swift has joined calls to junk a new anti-terrorism bill that President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing, which some lawyers and human rights activists warned could be abused to target his detractors.

Taylor Swift lends voice to #JunkTerrorBill cause in PH | ABS-CBN

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Taylor Swift lends voice to #JunkTerrorBill cause in PH

Taylor Swift lends voice to #JunkTerrorBill cause in PH

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 03, 2020 03:09 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 04, 2020 10:18 AM PHT

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Taylor Swift

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