MANILA -- The government should not confuse criminality and acts of terrorism with rebellion, a law expert said on Sunday.

Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement of a possible suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, De La Salle University (DLSU) College of Law Dean Atty. Jose Manuel Diokno said the government seems to be equating criminality with rebellion.

“It (suspension of writ) is only allowed for rebellion and invasion. And rebellion means public uprising. I’m confused because the government seems to be referring to criminality which is not equated with rebellion,” Diokno said.

The writ of habeas corpus grants a person the right to report or question an unlawful detention or imprisonment before a court.

Under the 1987 constitution, the president may suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus only in cases of invasion or rebellion and when public safety requires it.

Diokno explained that so far, there are no direct attacks on the government to remove the country’s regions and territories.

“What we are witnessing apparently are acts of terrorism and the law distinguishes between acts of rebellion by organized groups and acts of terrorism,” he said.

Duterte said in a speech on Friday that there is an ongoing rebellion in Mindanao which may force him to suspend the writ if lawlessness continues.

According to Diokno, the burden of proving that there is an ongoing rebellion in Mindanao lies upon the government; otherwise, a suspension of the writ may lead to human rights abuses and similar kinds of atrocities.

The President placed the entire country under a "state of lawlessness" in September after a deadly bomb attack in Davao City.