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CREEPING AND UNDECLARED MARTIAL LAW, Part 2 Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, May 23, 2006  Posted: August 6th, 2008 @ 1:08am Mr. President, I rise again today, on a matter of collective and personal privilege, to denounce the continuing suppression of our civil liberties and the unabated repression of dissent under the regime of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Yesterday, 15 heavily armed men, riding in a convoy of three vehicles, raided the private residence of Mr. Virgilio “Ver” Eustaquio, the National Chairman of the Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice or UMDJ, in broad daylight. These armed goons, with military precision, forcibly entered Mr. Eustaquio’s compound, where a UMDJ meeting was taking place. There were no explanations made. No justifications or reasons were given. No identifications were presented. Wala pang ipinakitang ID ang mga taong ito; hindi nagpakilala, at sa halip ay rnatataas na kalibre ng baril ang iniharap kay Mr. Ver Eustaquio, sa kanyang mga kasama, ,at mga kasambahay. Walang paliwanag, walang sabi-sabi; hindi sinabi kung ano ang dahilan ng pag-raid nila sa isang private residence: walang search warrant; walang warrant of arrest at pagkatapos, pinagkukuha ang kanilang mga cellphones, dinampot at isinakay sina Mr. Ver Eustaquio at apat na mga kasama sa mga sasakyang dala ng mga hoodlum ito. These hoodlums just brutally barged in and proceeded to rouna up Mr. Eustaquio and four other members of UMDJ and confiscated their cellphones. They made them lie on their bellies while kicking and slapping them at gunpoint. After these atrocities, they brought Mr. Eustaquio and his companions to their waiting vehicles. Up to now, we have no information where Mr. Eustaquio and his four companions were brought, and why they were abducted. The four abducted companions of Mr. Eustaquio are: 1. Mr. Jim Cabauatan; 2. Mr. Ruben Dionisio; 3. Mr. Jose Curameng; and 4. Mr. Dennis Ibona— all officials of UMDJ. We have no idea who is behind this raid and abduction, and why did it happen, although, this Representation has just received unconfirmed reports, which we are still verifying right now, that the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the ISAFP is behind the latest raid. This raid and abduction happened in broad daylight at 3:30 in the afternoon, at the heart of what appears to be a well-populated and peaceful neighborhood of Kamias, Quezon City. Nasaan ang ating mga kapulisan? Bakit nila hinayaang mangyari ito? The Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice is an organization openly critical of the Arroyo administration. It is an organization that was established to uncover the truth behind the lies of the Arroyo government. It is a legitimate organization that is merely seeking justice for our people. It seeks to restore the rights that have been denied our people, such as freedom of speech and assembly and redress of grievance. It is just one organization among many others that openly defy this brutal and repressive regime of a leader, whose wrongdoings continue to multiply with impunity, beginning with the cheating in the presidential elections of 2004, to the various anomalies that are painstakingly being uncovered by the vigilant citizenry, but are systematically being white-washed and swept under the rug by this administration. The dirty tactics of this administration is understandable, perhaps because this regime unlawfully usurped power from a legitimate and popular president using foul and clandestine means. This administration managed to retain power through a questionable election that has not been fully explained, despite Mrs. Arroyo’s admission of guilt, because all discussions are being avoided and all democratic avenues are being suppressed. And now, this regime is desperate, and forcefully clinging to power through brutal and gangster-like means. The Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice is an organization openly critical of the Arroyo administration. It is an organization that was established to uncover the truth behind the lies of the Arroyo government. It is a legitimate organization that is merely seeking justice for our people. It seeks to restore the rights that have been denied our people, such as freedom of speech and assembly and redress of grievance. It is just one organization among many others that openly defy this brutal and repressive regime of a leader, whose wrongdoings continue to multiply with impunity, beginning with the cheating in the presidential elections of 2004, to the various anomalies that are painstakingly being uncovered by the vigilant citizenry, but are systematically being white-washed and swept under the rug by this administration. The dirty tactics of this administration is understandable, perhaps because this regime unlawfully usurped power from a legitimate and popular president using foul and clandestine means. This is a government that has now betrayed its true totalitarian nature and fascist bent; its tendency to use force and other illegal means to stay in power, such as robbery of the national coffers, bribery, blackmail, murder and abduction, is now manifest and unequivocally clear. We can see this in the use of such instruments such as: 1) the declaration of a state of national emergency; 2) the declaration of the state of rebellion; 3) Executive Order No. 464; 4) Presidential Proclamation No. 1017; 5) the calibrated preemptive response, and so many other repressive measures couched and hidden in legal niceties and technicalities. This government’s preoccupation to suppress the people’s rights guaranteed under the Constitution and to repress legitimate dissent is now being taken to a higher level by using other police state and garrison tactics. This repressive bent has now taken root, and they now strike fear, anger and alienation in the very hearts and minds of our people. I do not wish to hastily accuse the regime of Mrs. Arroyo in this latest incident. But, unfortunately, the pattern has become frightening and alarming. They have created anxieties and offended our senses of security and sensibility. In the more than five years of Mrs. Arroyo's misguided and illegitimate reign, poverty has become widespread and endemic; corruption has become the culture of government; unemployment is high; prices of basic commodities have spiraled; our foreign debt has grown by leaps and bounds; and taxes have become burdensome without any return on basic services, such as the protection of lives and property. Instead, we are witness to unparalleled criminality, with this country becoming now a killing field for journalists, militants and activists, and anyone opposed to this regime. These have now become hazardous and dangerous occupations. This administration managed to retain power through a questionable election that has not been fully explained, despite Mrs. Arroyo’s admission of guilt, because all discussions are being avoided and all democratic avenues are being suppressed. And now, this regime is desperate, and forcefully clinging to power through brutal and gangster-like means. But this country has also become a killing field not just for these sectors, but even to law-abiding and righteous citizens, such as judges, businessmen and other professions. Lahat ng kritiko ni Ginang Arroyo, kung hindi makuha sa suhol o lagay, ang taktika ay takutin, kasuhan at ipakulong. Kung ito naman ay hindi magagawa dahil walang legal na basehan, ipadudukot para takutin pang lalo at kung hindi pa rin madaan dito ...patay kang bata ka! Yesterday, another journalist was killed in an ambush on his way to work. Mr. Fernando Batul, a broadcast journalist, who previously ran as vice-mayor in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino was shot in the face between the eyes by two gunmen riding a Honda motorcycle. Mr. Batul, who is only 36 years old, was dead on arrival at the local hospital. He was a very vocal critic of the Arroyo administration in his radio program. He is the 42"d journalist slain in the Philippines since Mrs. Arroyo usurped power in 2001. He is the 6"journalist to be murdered this year. My dear colleagues, welcome to gangster-land. Time and again, the officials of this Arroyo administration have denied involvement in these killings and abductions. But we know what we see, and we know what we have seen. The pattern is too familiar. The signature of the criminal is unmistakable. And even if the government is not involved in some of these criminal activities, it is the responsibility of the government to protect and preserve peace and order. I challenge Sec. Norberto Gonzales as the National Security Adviser of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo and General Generoso Senga, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to produce the bodies of those abducted, as the ones in charge of intelligence and security of our nation as well as our citizens. Kasama na rin po diyan ang hepe ng Philippine National Police na si Gen. Arturo Lomibao. Pero ang mga pulis, puro pagbabantay sa MalacaAang ang inaatupag, puro rally ang binabantayan kaya ang patayan ay kaliwa't kanan, walang tigil, walang humpay. Sino pa ang sisisihin natin? Ang mga biktima mismo na napapatay? Sina Mr. Eustaquio na tahimik na nagmimiting sa loob ng tahanan? Sina Mr. Batul na papasok lamang sa kanyang trabaho? This government continues to masquerade as a democracy. Its authoritarian bent and "AI Capone-like" nature, however, are showing with every passing day. And if we remember, this was the warning I said in my maiden privilege speech in this Chamber, almost two years ago. I called attention to the creeping and undeclared martial law in our country where the democratic space is shrinking with every passing day. Noong pahanong iyon, pag nag-rally tayo, binubuwag. Ngayon. hindi pa nagra-rally dini-disperse at dinadampot na. This has now gone from bad to worse today. I reiterate this warning because I am certain that the next target will be members of the legitimate opposition, including myself. And when that happens, there will be no one else anymore to protest, no one left to make privilege speeches. Kailangan na nating gumising at magkaisa upang ang ating bayan at mamamayan ay maging isang tunay na pamayanan na ang tao ay iginagalang at pinapahalagahan, bago mahuli ang lahat. We must act now, and act vigilantly and decisively. - - 0 - - |
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Copyright © 2008 Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
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