With 173 representatives voting yes, versus only 31 voting no and 29 choosing to abstain, the controversial House Bill No. 6875 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 has been approved by the House of Representatives on its third and final reading.
The bill that was approved is the adopted Senate version. This is said to fast-track the process of the bill’s passage “by avoiding the bicameral conference committee to settle the disagreeing provisions of the House and Senate versions of the bill,” Inquirer reports.
Proposed amendments of the bill, which were made before its second reading approval, were rejected. So with no conflicting provisions between the Senate version and the House version, the bill can now be sent to the Office of the President.
Inquirer quotes Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon, “No more bicam. Just a few administrative steps within the legislature then it will be submitted to the President for his signature.”
A timeline
The House of Representatives approved the Anti-Terrorism Bill on second reading yesterday, June 2.
President Rodrigo Duterte certified the bill as urgent on June 1.
The Senate version of the bill, which the House adopted, was approved on third reading last Feb. 26, with two no votes.
Congress is set to adjourn their regular session this week.
Header image is a screencapture from the House of Representatives livestream.
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Writer: PAULINE MIRANDA
