Statement
February 24, 2006

20 years after EDSA I: GMA resurrects martial law

Twenty years ago on this day, February 24, the collective action of the Filipino people toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos to protect our civil and political liberties and freedoms. However, 20 years after on this very same day, the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo resurrected the terror of martial law by declaring the country under a state of emergency.

Under this situation, the GMA regime has sought to legitimize warrantless arrests, dispersal of rallies and the very conduct of peaceful assemblies. Since the morning of February 24, attempts to hold peaceful rallies in Metro Manila were blocked by forces of the PNP and the AFP, while and violent dispersals and baseless arrests have tainted the streets.

The next 48 hours are critical.

If, last year, without the declaration of any state of emergency, 240 cases of political killings were committed under the GMA regime, there is only looming, worsened repression of civil liberties. GMA’s undeclared policy of martial law is now in the form of state of emergency declaration. It accuses the Left, particularly the CPP-NPA-NDF of conspiring with the Right against this upheaval. It has hyped up the red scare. It points to the disgruntled young officers of the Armed Forces, the Magdalo, as one of its basis for declaring such.

But, if the top brass of the Philippine Armed Forces declared order and control of their areas of command on this day, then the basis for declaring the country under a state of emergency is uncalled for.

What is clear with GMA’s declaration is her sole purpose of maintaining herself in power even with deep question of her legitimacy as president. And by making this declaration, she has once more proved that she and her clout are the real traitors of people power, the real traitors to the freedoms of the Filipino people. We should therefore confront the state of emergency with more peaceful assemblies and truly exercise our power as a people.

On this important of day of commemorating our strength as a people and as a nation, let us again be one in calling for the ouster or resignation of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, as we did 20 years ago during the Marcos regime. Let us not be intimated by state terrorism. Instead, let us continue to march towards social justice.

Reference: Windel Bolinget
Secretary General
Cordillera Peoples Alliance