The recent declaration of Malacanang placing Maguindanao under martial law sets a dangerous precedent. There are only two reasons granted in the Constitution for the declaration of martial law. First is invasion, the second is rebellion. Clearly, none of these conditions were present in Maguindanao. A few days ago, even the military and the police themselves said that a declaration of martial law is unnecessary. All of a sudden, the Arroyo administration claims there is virtually a rebellion in Maguindanao at the moment. They are stretching its meaning dangerously to accommodate their political plans. Apparent lawlessness in the province is not rebellion. Resistance from arrests is not rebellion. For rebellion to exist, the political motivation of overthrowing the civilian government is necessary. There clearly is no rebellion in Maguindanao. At most, all there is in Maguindanao is a refusal by the Ampatuan camp to cooperate with the authorities. They are armed, yes, but those arms were issued by the government itself, the legal existence of the private army provided for by the President herself. It goes without saying that this condition can be remedied by existing government forces in the province under a “state of emergency”, without the implementation of martial law.
Where then is the danger? The Arroyo administration will lose its executive power in less than a year. The administration ticket is expected to lose the 2010 elections. Arroyo’s congressional candidacy indicates her refusal to step down from power. It is not difficult to surmise that the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao is a rehearsal for a national implementation. With the twisted definition of “rebellion” that it used in Maguindanao to justify the military rule, it is now easy for the administration to call any condition of lawlessness as rebellion in other parts of the country, if not the entire country as a whole.
It thus becomes imperative for us, the people, to show and declare our objection to this move by the Arroyo administration. Neutrality and complacency to the martial law in Maguindanao will only serve to embolden the administration to use it accordingly nationwide, once it loses its other political options in maintaining their hold on power. We demand justice for the victims of the Ampatuan massacre, but martial law is not the answer.
law student, film school graduate, student leader, youth activist, Kabataan Partylist legislative officer
It’s not just a rehearsal, it’s a cover up for something they’re cooking up come 2010.
http://kapampanganblog.com/2009/12/01/makarine/comment-page-1/#comment-811
Bikoy, i don’t know if magiging interesado ka dito.
This kapampangan bog site says it all and I agree on his post.
Translation of the blog in Filipino:
Title Nakakahiya! Totoo man!
Hindi ko lubos maisip at hindi ko maintindihan
Paano nakayanan ng ating presidente o napagtanto man lamang na magiging kongresista sya pagkatapos nyang umupo sa pinakamataas na posisyon sa ating bansa?
Hindi ko alam kung naramdaman nyo, pero ako para akong sinampal! Bilang isang Pilipino… bilang isang Kapampangan.
Wala man daw siyang nilabag na batas. ‘Yun ang sabi ng ating mga magagaling na mambabatas, legal daw ag ginawa n gating presidente. Ang ipinagbabawal lang daw ng ating batas, iyong ipinagbabawal lang ng ating batas ay iyong hahabol ulit sa pagkapresidente ang nakaupong presidente.
SUBALIT! Hindi daw ipinagbabawal na ang nakaupong presidente ay tatakbo sa ibang posisyon, kahit na mababa pa ito.
Hindi ba nila tayo niloko nun?!
Pinalalabas nito, kasalanan pa ng mga taong bumalangkas n gating konstitusyon. Isinaalang-alang na nila na ang presidente, kapag nahawakan ang matagal na posisyon, kamukha ng nangyari noon kay Marcos. ‘Yun nga lang, hindi nila isinaalang-alang na ang isang nakaupong presidente ay tatakbo pa ng mababang posisyon.
Siguro hindi nila naisip noon na ang isang matinong presidente ay magbabalak na siya ay hahabol pa sa mas mababang posisyon pagkatapos nyang maupo sa pinakamataas na bangko.
Uulitin ko – “Walang matinong presidente na magnanasa pa sa mas mababang posisyon pagkatapos siyang mailuklok sa pinakamataas!”
Parang tama naman sila, no?
Maraming nagsasabi, na isa itong paraan para maka-”kalawat” sa kapangyarihan … sa iba pa nyang nagawa.
Meron din naming, para daw maproteksyonan nya ang kanyang mga asunto, mga kaso na pwede nilang ibalandra o isampa at sa lahat pa ng mga nangyari sa kanyang administrasyon kapag hindi na siya presidente.
Mayroon naman ding nagsasabi, na isa itong “stepping stone” niya para maitaguyod nya ang isang gobyernong “parliamentary” na kung saan si PGMA ang mauupong prime minister.
Nakakatakot!
Noong una ko pong isulat ito, ang orihinal na titulo ay, “Maipagmamalaki mo pa bang Kapampangan ka?”
Dahil nga pos a nagawa ni Gloria para bang isang malaking kahihiyan sa atin. Subalit medyo naawa ako sa sarili ko, kaya pinalitan ko.
Ngayon po, ang buong Pilipinas … kasama ng buong mundo, nakabantay at nakamasid sa mga Kapampangan … sa ating mga Kapampangan, pababayaan nalang ba natin ang gusto nilang mangyari? Umaksyon na tayo’t tuldukan na natin ang pagsisimula ng isang nakaktakot na magiging istorya n gating bansa.
Sana lang, pagkatapos ng eleksyon … maipagmamalaki parin nating Kapampangan tayo.