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IN DEFENSE OF THE RIGHT TO FREE ASSEMBLY OF OUR WORKERS NOVEMBER 17, 2004  Posted: March 6th, 2012 @ 12:00am MR. PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES OF THIS AUGUST BODY: WITH YOUR KIND INDULGENCE, I RISE AGAIN TODAY ON A MATTER OF PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE PRIVILEGE. YESTERDAY, MR. PRESIDENT, AT LEAST SEVEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND SCORE OF OTHERS WERE HURT AND WOUNDED IN THE DISPERSAL OPERATIONS OF A COMBINED PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE AND MILITARY CONTINGENT AT THE HACIENDA LUISITA IN TARLAC. I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONVEY MY CONDOLENCES AND SYMPATHY TO THE LOVED ONES OF THESE VICTIMS WHOSE ONLY FAULT WAS TO EXPRESS THEIR GRIEVANCES AGAINST THEIR EMPLOYER. IPINAAABOT KO ANG AKING TAOS-PUSONG PAKIKIRAMAY SA ATING MGA KABABAYANG MANGGAGAWA NG HACIENDA LUISITA NA NGAYON AY MGA PANIBAGONG BIKTIMA NG KARAHASAN AT KAMAY NA BAKAL MULA SA GOBYERNONG ITO. SILA AY KABILANG NA NGAYON SA HUMAHABANG LISTAHAN NG KARAHASAN LABAN SA ATING MAMAMAYAN NG ISANG PAMAHALAANG MABIGAT ANG KAMAY SA MGA KARANIWANG MANGGAGAWA. I ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO JOIN THE CHORUS OF VOICES FROM OUR LABOR SECTOR AND FROM ALL FREEDOM-LOVING FILIPINOS IN CONDEMNING THIS BRUTAL AND BRAZEN DISPLAY OF RUTHLESS VIOLENCE BY THE PNP AND THE MILITARY. I CONDEMN THIS SENSELESS AND UNNECCESARY ACT OF VIOLENCE IN HACIENDA LUISITA PERPETUATED BY THOSE WHO, IN THE FIRST PLACE, ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF OUR PEOPLE. IN DOING SO, THEY HAVE INFLICTED ANOTHER WRINKLE IN OUR HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD. INAAMIN KO SA PAGKAKATAONG ITO NA HINDI KO PA PO ALAM ANG PUNO’T-DULO NG WELGA SA HACIENDA LUISITA. WALA PA AKONG PAGKAKATAON UPANG SIYASATIN ANG KANILANG MGA HINAING, AT ANO ANG PANIG NG MGA NAMAMAHALA SA HACIENDA LUISITA. NGUNI’T HINDI ITO ANG AKING PUNTO. HINDI ANG PANIG NG MGA WELGISTA O NG MGA NAGMAMAY-ARI NG HACIENDA LUISITA. ANG ALAM KO AY MAY KARAHASAN NA NAGANAP SA DISPERSAL OPERATIONS AT MARAMI ANG NAMATAY, NASUGATAN AT NASAKTAN. AT HINDI ITO DAPAT MANGYARI. WALA NA PO BANG PUWANG AT LUGAR ANG ATING MGA PULIS AT MILITAR, ANG ATING GOBYERNO, ANG MGA KAPITALISTA, PARA SA ISANG TAHIMIK AT MAPAYAPANG NEGOSASYON? WALA NA PO BANG PANAHON NGAYON PARA SA ISANG MAAYOS, MATINO AT MAHINAHONG USAPAN AT KAILANGANG GAMITAN PA NG DAHAS ANG ISANG GRUPO NG MANGGAGAWA NA NAGPOPROTESTA LAMANG UPANG IGIIT ANG KANILANG KARAPATAN? KAILANGAN PA BA ANG ISANG COMBINED POLICE AND MILITARY CONTINGENT PARA BUWAGIN LAMANG ANG ISANG GRUPO NA MANGGAGAWA NA HUMIHINGI LAMANG NG KATARUNGAN? JUST LAST AUGUST 30, 2004, ON THE HISTORIC COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF PINAGLABANAN, I DELIVERED A PRIVILEGE SPEECH BEFORE THIS ASSEMBLY CALLING OUR ATTENTION TO THE GROWING SUPPRESSION OF RIGHTS TO FREE ASSEMBLY BY OUR PEOPLE. I CITED NUMEROUS INCIDENTS AND ASKED FOR A REVIEW OF BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 880 OR THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY ACT OF 1985. I REITERATE THIS PLEA AGAIN TODAY IN THE LIGHT OF THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE IF WE DO NOT ACT TODAY WITH A DEEP SENSE OF URGENCY, MANY MORE WILL DIE AND WILL BE HURT. WE MUST ACT TODAY TO RESTRAIN THE GROWING VIOLENCE OF THIS GOVERNMENT AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS DONE IN DEFENSE OF A PRIVILEGED ELITE. WE MUST ACT ACCORDINGLY TO REMIND THIS GOVERNMENT AND ITS POLICE AND MILITARY OFFICIALS THAT OUR CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES THE RIGHT TO FREE ASEMBLY AND THAT MAXIMUM TOLERANCE MUST BE THE POLICY AT ALL COST. WE CANNOT ALLOW OUR DEMOCRACY TO TURN INTO A POLICE OR GARRISON STATE WHERE THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OF ASSEMBLY ARE SYSTEMATICALLY SUPPRESSED IN FAVOR OF A PRIVILEGED FEW. GINOONG PANGULO, ANG LISTAHAN AT ANG MGA INSIDENTENG NG MARAHAS AT MALUPIT NA PAGSUPIL SA KARAPATAN NG ATING MGA KABABAYAN NA KATULAD NITO AY LALONG HUMAHABA NGAYON. AT HIGIT PANG DADAMI IYAN KUNG HINDI NATIN BIBIGYAN NG DIREKSIYON AT PATAKARAN ANG PAGTATANGGOL SA KARAPATAN NG MALAYANG PAGTITIPON-TIPON NG ATING MGA KABABAYAN. NAGBABALIK SA ATING ALAALA NGAYON ANG MARAMING INISDENTE NG KARAHASAN LABAN SA KARANIWANG MAMAMAYAN, MULA SA MENDIOLA HANGGANG SA HACIENDA LUISITA. ILANG MENDIOLA PA ANG HIHINTAYIN NATIN NGAYONG BAGO TAYO KUMILOS? ILANG HACIENDA LUISITA PA ANG KAILANGANG MANGYARI UPANG MAGISING TAYO? HUWAG NA PO NATING HINTAYIN ANG GALIT AT KARAHASAN NG KARANIWANG MANGGAGAWA, NG KARANIWANG MAMAMAYAN, NG SAMBAYANAN NA NAGTATANGGOL LAMANG NG KANILANG KARAPATAN NA ITINATADHANA NG ATING SALIGANG-BATAS. TODAY, AS I CLOSE, I ASKED THIS AUGUST BODY AND MY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN EXTENDING OUR CONDOLENCE TO THE LOVED ONES OF THE VICTIMS AND OUR SYMPATHIES TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HURT OR WOUNDED, WHETHER FROM THE RANKS OF THE WORKERS OR OF THE AUTHORITIES. I ALSO ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN CONDEMNING THIS ACT OF VIOLENCE AND DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF OUR WORKERS AND ALL OF OUR PEOPLE TO FREE ASSEMBLY. MARAMING SALAMAT AT MAGANDANG HAPON! |
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Copyright © 2008 Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
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