2/27/06 Alyansa ng mga Kababayan at UCI Condemns Human Rights Violations and De Facto Martial Law in the Philippines

Alyansa ng mga Kababayan at UCI Condemns Human Rights Violations and De Facto Martial Law in the Philippines

On February 24, 2006, the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the first EDSA Revolution that ended Martial Law under the Marcos regime, “elected” President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Proclamation 1017, declaring a “State of Emergency” in the Philippines. This “State of Emergency” grants her multiple powers such as arrests without warrants and extension of detention without charge, the ability to raid and seize media productions, the suspension of public assembly, and other such powers which can be compared to a “De Facto” state of Martial Law.

The catalyst, according to President Arroyo, for this “State of Emergency” was the disruption of a potential military coup d’etat and an alleged “conspiracy” by political factions on the extreme left and right. However, the facts are that prior to the enactment of Proclamation 1017, the Arroyo administration had long been losing public favor amid national policies that placed the interests of multinational corporations and foreign nations above her own country, coupled with reports by multiple NGOs of human rights violations initiated by her government, as well as the admission of guilt in organizing voter fraud in the last Presidential election that placed her in the very office she currently occupies. Not only has her political opposition shown dissatisfaction in her policies, even former supporters and members of her administration have asked for her resignation.

Congresswoman Liza Maza, who is now facing arrest, states, “Malacanang (The Philippine equivalent of the White House) is bent on muzzling its critics, the opposition, and those who are espousing reforms.” Ultimately, this executive order amounts to a last ditch effort to hold on to power amidst a military, government, and nation that no longer wishes to see her in office.

Although we live thousands of miles away, the same blood that runs through our veins runs through the 7,000 islands back in the Philippines. It is our duty to exercise the liberties and freedoms that have wrongfully been stolen from Pilipina/os. By condemning the actions of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and opposing the human rights violations and the current state of de facto martial law, we stand in solidarity with the people of the Philippines and the struggles that they face and will face in the near future.

Alyansa ng mga Kababayan demands an immediate end of the “State of Emergency” on the Philippines; politically meaning the end of Proclamation 1017, resulting in the immediate release of all unwarranted political prisoners, the return of resources, materials and freedom of speech to all media organizations as well as the restoration of civil liberties and rights to all the citizens of the Philippines.

In Solidarity,

Alyansa ng mga Kababayan at the University of California, Irvine

FUSION – Filipinos Unifying Student-Engineers In an Organized Network at UCI
Kababayan at UCI
PASS – Pilipino Americans in Social Studies at UCI
PUSO – Pilipino Pre-Health Undergraduate Student Organization at UCI
TAPS Kollektive – Tagalog And Pilipina/o Studies at UCI

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