The anti-terrorism law in the Philippines is completely different from the security law in Hong Kong, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Wednesday.

In the pre-SONA (State of the Nation Address) forum, Locsin, however, admitted that he has not yet read and studied the Hong Kong security law.

He added, however, "that is a matter within the internal security of the people of Republic of China."

Locsin defended the newly-passed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, whose constitutionality is being questioned by various groups and individuals before the Supreme Court.

"The anti-terrorism law is a completely different thing altogether. The anti-terrorism law is aimed to prevent an event that hasn't really happened in the Philippines yet," he said.

Locsin, who introduced the Human Security Act, the first anti-terrorism law in the country, when he was still a congressman, said he thought that it was the best anti-terrorism law.

"Frankly, I thought it was brilliant," he said, although he noted that his version was "emasculated" when it reached the Senate.

"But now comes the improved version," he said.

He noted that the current anti-terrorism law is "aimed at innocent civilians totally powerless against the carnage of terrorist attack."

Locsin believed that the law cannot be abused but it can be "misabused, misused by law enforcement authorities."

But he noted that under the law, there are safeguards, such as imposition of penalties on law enforcement officers.

The anti-terrorism law has taken effect although the implementing rules and regulations have yet to be completed and published.

Both the Hong Kong security law and the Philippine anti-terrorism law have been heavily criticized by human rights advocates and other groups and individuals locally and abroad. Celerina Monte/DMS