THE PHILIPPINES. LAWMAKERS APPROVE ANTI-TERRORISM BILL

Philippine lawmakers approved an anti-terrorism bill after libertarian legislators watered it down by blocking the death penalty as punishment for deadly attacks. The House bill would allow terror suspect to be held without warrant and detained for three days without charge. It also increases the number of crimes for which authorities could apply for court permission to tap telephones. Police officials had wanted the death penalty as a possibility and detention of terror suspects for at least a month without charges.