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DPA
Manila
The Philippines’ new military chief on Monday called for social media use to be regulated, in a bid to prevent terrorists from using the platforms to recruit members and plan attacks.
Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay said the armed forces were aiming to include provisions on controlling social media use in a new anti-terrorism law.
The departments of justice and defence are drafting the implementing rules and regulations of the recently-signed law. Input is being provided by concerned agencies, including the military.
“We need to have specific provisions... pertaining to regulating the use of social media because this is the platform now being used by the terrorists to radicalize, to recruit, and even to plan terrorist attacks,” said Gapay, who took over the post of military chief of staff on Monday.
Gapay said the military also wanted the sale of agricultural supplies to be regulated, noting that some products such as fertilizers are used by terrorist groups to make bombs.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed the new anti-terrorism law on July 3 despite warnings from several groups that it could stifle political dissent and lead to further human rights violations.
The law criminalizes incitement of terrorism “by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other representations.”
It also allows suspects to be detained for up to 24 days without formal charges and empowers an anti-terrorism council to designate individuals or groups as suspected terrorists who could be arrested and surveilled.
Manila
The Philippines’ new military chief on Monday called for social media use to be regulated, in a bid to prevent terrorists from using the platforms to recruit members and plan attacks.
Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay said the armed forces were aiming to include provisions on controlling social media use in a new anti-terrorism law.
The departments of justice and defence are drafting the implementing rules and regulations of the recently-signed law. Input is being provided by concerned agencies, including the military.
“We need to have specific provisions... pertaining to regulating the use of social media because this is the platform now being used by the terrorists to radicalize, to recruit, and even to plan terrorist attacks,” said Gapay, who took over the post of military chief of staff on Monday.
Gapay said the military also wanted the sale of agricultural supplies to be regulated, noting that some products such as fertilizers are used by terrorist groups to make bombs.
President Rodrigo Duterte signed the new anti-terrorism law on July 3 despite warnings from several groups that it could stifle political dissent and lead to further human rights violations.
The law criminalizes incitement of terrorism “by means of speeches, proclamations, writings, emblems, banners or other representations.”
It also allows suspects to be detained for up to 24 days without formal charges and empowers an anti-terrorism council to designate individuals or groups as suspected terrorists who could be arrested and surveilled.
