The document would give the security forces greater powers.
According to RT, the president of the Philippines signed the hotly debated anti-terrorism law a few weeks after he announced that rebel groups fighting the government had taken advantage of the Covid-19 epidemic.
“The anti-terrorism law, which was approved by an overwhelming majority of both houses of parliament earlier this month, was signed by Rodrigo Duterte”, – local media reported Friday, quoting President Harry Roque’s spokesman.
The law provides for the creation of a new body called an anti-terrorism council, which will be able to allow security forces to arrest terrorism suspects without a court order and detain them without charge for up to 24 days. Under existing laws, such detainees had to be brought before a court within three days.