May 16 - 31, 2017
OPINION
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
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Martial Law Deja Vu
Breaking
Point
By Rosette Correa
Before Martial Law
was declared in the 1970s,
then President Ferdinand
Marcos made sure he
had good reasons to
declare it. That was how
systematic he was, and he
wanted everything to follow
a pattern of events that will
“justify” his declaration of
military rule. The protests
on the streets, the bombing
of Plaza Miranda, the civil
disobedience launched by
Josemaria Sison and the
Communist Party alliances,
led to the declaration of
Martial Law on September
21, 1972. Arrests were
made, media were shut
down, and people hid in
their homes and closed
their doors in fear and
desolation.
When
President
Rodrigo Duterte declared
martial law, he made sure
he had the same pattern of
reasons that would make
the declaration in Mindanao
viable. The discovery of ISIS
cells, the bombing of Marawi
City, and other attacks in
Davao was said to be the
cause of the declaration.
While some agree to the
declaration, others fear
that it is the beginning of
what many suspected was
on Duterte’s agenda in the
first place. The problems
on drugs and criminality,
followed by extra-judicial
killings, did not gain steam
hot enough to declare
martial law in Manila, so
Duterte and his team looked
to the Mindanao region, his
bailiwick, to establish the
need for martial rule, as no
one would dare oppose him
there. Adding to the already
rising “violence” brought
about by insurgents and
ISIS cells, was good enough
reason to immediately
declare the military rule.
While he promises that
the rule is temporary and
may be imposed for sixty
days, Duterte was quick to
say that it could last up to
a year, depending on the
response of the insurgents.
In the meantime, he and his
team are probably cooking
something up to be able to
declare martial law in Manila
Bulong
Pulungan
By Deedee Siytangco
Reprinted from Manila Bulletin
Who i s afraid of Martial
Law?
We all should be
because
the
Marcos
Martial Law years are still
very much in our national
consciousness and we
could be headed there
again if we let it!
Senator Frank Drilon
says that although the
constitution allows ML
to preserve the state in
emergency situations, it
must be based on facts
and extreme danger to
the people and the state
should exist, and must be
submitted to both houses
of Congress within 48
hours. The coverage should
be for a specific time (60
days) and contrary to the
Palace’s
understanding,
there is no suspension
of the Constitution. No
substitution of the military
courts for civilian courts
either. Civilian courts will
continue
to
function,
and there should be no
warrantless arrests unless
the Writ of Habeas Corpus
is suspended (and will only
be over those charged with
rebellion).
and the rest of the country,
one province at a time.
So, when he declared
Martial Law in Mindanao, it
wasn’t much of a surprise.
After all, where would one
declare Martial Law first
but in the same place one
found his power? It is ironic,
though, that everyone
claims that Duterte tamed
Mindanao while he was
mayor of Davao City, yet,
why is he having so much
problems
there
now?
Apparently, his power to
be a threat did not sit well
with a lot of people, and he
has lost his power over the
region altogether.
Duterte’s martial law
leaves me no sense of
direction. The primary
objective of it is to end
insurgency and the growth
of ISIS in the country, and
he is even asking for the help
of the MILF, MNLF and NPA
to help him suppress ISIS.
Strange bedfellows, but I
guess he is desperate. Then
again, once the insurgency
is quelled, in a utopian
situation, what will happen
to this marriage? Will this
then be used to declare
another martial rule?
And
with
Mocha
Uson not even knowing
the difference between
the Philippine Army and
the Honduran military,
even if she is supposed to
know being the assistant
secretary of the Presidential
Communication Operations
Office (whatever that is),
a government meant to
rule militarily would not be
able to survive with cabinet
members as uninformed as
she is. Uninformed is a kind
word.
Forbes writer Anders
Corr says that if Philippine
voters
and
political
representatives do not
immediately revoke martial
law and impeach Duterte,
“they may lose the ability
to do so in the future, as
the fear of Duterte, and a
criminal omertà, spreads.”
Despite everyone’s belief
that it is temporary and
for Mindanao alone, it is
possible that it could rear its
ugly head throughout the
rest of the country sooner
than everyone believes. ●
No to Martial Law in any form!
Yes to peace!
Senator
Drilon
reminded
former
SC
Justice Mendoza that The
Constitution and the “rule
of law should continue
to reign supreme in any
declaration of Martial law.”
The Bill of Rights, Drilon
said, cannot be set aside.
These are rights that are
considered inviolable.
However, Pres. Duterte
has
announced
that
warrantless arrests are now
allowed in Mindanao! How
is this now?
We are still in a state
of turmoil! The AFP had
just proclaimed, “We have
the Marawi situation under
control” and in the next
hour their Commander-
in-Chief declares Martial
Law to quell the entry and
takeover of the Maute-ISIS
troops in Marawi!
President Duterte also
threatened to declare Martial
Law in the Visayas and the
whole nation if the terrorists
don’t back down. Tough
talk from a tough president!
(Even Joma Sison doesn’t
think declaring Martial Law
in Mindanao is a good thing
to do.)
It is comforting if we are
to believe him that he also
declared on his return from
Russia that “I will not allow
abuses in Martial law!”
We will hold you to that,
Mr. President. Wait, and
yet in the same statement
also declared that Marcos’
Martial Law was “good.”
Hellooooo!
Be vigilant freedom
loving citizens!
* * *
I recently had a reunion
with
an
ex-Operation
Brotherhood International
(OBI) man, Jose “Pete”
Fuentecilla. A journalist
by profession, Pete is now
retired and living in New
York City, but he hasn’t
forgotten his OBI roots. In
fact he organized a group,
the Mekong Circle (The
Mekong river is essential
to the life in Laos, a land-
locked country) made up
of Filipinos from OBI staff,
employees
of
handful
American companies there,
of the only airline flying
there at the time that OBI
was there to be of service
to the Laotian people thru
USAID as medical doctors
and nurses, engineers,
community
organizers,
teachers, and agriculturists.
The Mekong Circle is still
active and will hold its
annual international reunion
in Laos on June, so those
interested can get in touch
with Pete.
Pete has with him
the names and contact
addresses of the members
of the Mekong circle and of
the hundreds of Filipinos
in the OBI that Oscar J.
Arellano founded in the early
seventies.” OJ” presented
this unique (at that time)
humanitarian aid composed
of Filipino volunteers, all
professionals to help out
Vietnam then in a raging
war with the Vietcong and
the Americans.
The OBI approach
won approval also from
the
Junior
Chamber
International which initially
funded the project. The
USAID later adopted OBI
as its project in Vietnam.
OBI finished its stint in
Vietnam and transferred its
operations to Laos, then a
hard-hit country over-run by
communists. Pete worked
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
in OBI -Laos as information
officer, later as part of the
administration office and
had the chance to see
the sacrifices of the Pinoy
doctors, nurses, teachers,
community workers all
over the country. He wrote
a book about it, and this
should make interesting
reading for those with OBI
rooks and links to those who
worked for the organization,
like your columnist who
spent several years at the
OB office in Manila. Hubby
was also part of OBI Manila
and then was sent to Laos
by OJ. He enjoyed the Laos
experience as did all the
volunteers.
The book, Filipinos in
Laos, has two parts, one by
Fr. Miguel Bernard, SJ, and
one by Fuentecilla which
lists down all the volunteers
and includes a timeline
of the events in Laos with
precious historical picture s.
Those interested in the
book and the reunion of
Mekong Circle Members,
contact Pete at his email,
[email protected]>
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