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CREEPING AND UNDECLARED MARTIAL LAW, Part 3 Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, May 24, 2006  Posted: August 6th, 2008 @ 1:10am Yesterday, I stood before you to denounce the continuing suppression of our civil liberties and the unabated repressive dissent under the illegitimate regime of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Yesterday, if you would recall, during my privilege speech, I challenged Secretaly Norberto Gonzales as the National Security Adviser of Mrs. Arroyo, General Generoso Senga, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and General Arturo Lomibao, Chief of the Philippine National Police, to produce the bodies of the abducted leaders of the Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice (UMDJ). They are Virgilio Eustaquio, Jim Cabauatan, Ruben Dionisio, Jose Curameng and Dennis Ibona, all officials of UMDJ. Yesterday, I said that I have received unconfirmed reports that the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the ISAFP is behind the abduction of these I opposition leaders. Today, I heard id at least three radio stations that the ISAFP has already admitted and confirmed that the five abducted opposition leaders are in their custody. So today, I rise before you again on a matter of collective and personal privilege to strongly denounce and condemn most vehemently the martial law regime that has been virtually established by the usurper in Malacañang, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Inamin na po ng military. Inamin na po ng ISAFP na tauhan nila ang mga lumusob sa isang pribadong compound sa Kamias, Quezon City. At inamin din po nila na sila ang dumampot at nagtatago sa limang lider ng UDMJ. Last Monday, May 22 at around 3:30 in the afternoon, 15 heavily armed operatives of the ISAFP, wearing civilian clothes, riding in a convoy of three vehicles bearing private plate numbers, arrived at the residence of Mr. Virgilio “Ver” Eustaquio, the National Chairman of the Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice (UMDJ). In broad daylight, these operatives forcibly opened and entered Mr. Eustaquio’s compound in a populated area of Kamias, Quezon City. Mr. Eustaquio was presiding in a meeting at his house at that particular time. The ISAFP gave no warning. No explanations. They gave no justification or reason for the raid. They never showed any identification. They never presented any search warrant and warrants of arrest. Sa halip na magalang, magpakilala atmagpaliwanag ng kanilang pakay, ang mga taga-ISAFP ay nanutok ng mga mahahabang kalibre ng baril kina Ginoong Eustaquio atsa kanyang mga kasamahan. At pagkatapos, pinagkukuha ang kanilang mga cellphones. Pinadapa sila, kinapkapan, pinagsasampal, pinagiisipa at tinakot na sila ay babarilin. Anonq klaseng gobyerno mayroon tayo ngayon? Bumabalik na naman ba tayo sa panahon ng martial law sa ilalim nitong administrasyong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Nakakatakot na ang mga pangyayari na nagaganap araw-araw dito sa ating bansa. Atpagkatapos nilang dinampot itong limang opposition leaders, sila ay sinakay sa mga sasakyan ng mga raga-ISAFP As I said yesterday, the UMDJ is an organization openly critical and opposed to the Arroyo administration. It is an organization that was established to uncover the truth that is desperately being hidden by lies of the Arroyo administration. Nevertheless, UMDJ is a legitimate organization. It seeks to bring out meaningful change in our society through legal and peaceful means. Whatever may be the reason or justification, the UMDJ leaders and members do not deserve the manhandling that they got from the hands of the ISAFP. Wala na bang karapatan ang ating mga kababayon na magtanong, maging critical at mag-protesta laban sa administrasyon? Ano ba talaga ang gusto nila? Mamundok na lamang ang mga taga-oposisyon? Hindi ponamin ito gusto. Ngunit nauubusan na po tayo ng mga demokratiko at mapayapang paraan ng pagbabago. Hindi po ba kamakailan lamang sinabi ng Korte Suprema na bawal ang mga warrantless arrests? Kung gayon, bakit nagaganap pa rin itong mga ganitong pagsalakay at pagyurak sa ating mga karapatan? Kung hindi nila pinapakinggan at sinusunod ang ating Korte Suprema, saan pa tayo pupunta upang humingi ng tulong laban sa pang-aabuso ng mga elemento ng militar at pulisya na kasabwat ni Gng. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Yesterday, I said that we must act swiftly, vigilantly and decisively. There are raw reports that reached my office this afternoon, again, that these people behind the abduction of the five leaders of the UMDJ are going to file a rebellion case against them. Rebellion, if I may ask? They never planned to overthrow this government. They never planned to destabilize this government because this government has already been destabilized by the usurper in Malacañang. Today, I again ask my colleagues to act now. I call on the Filipino people, please open their eyes, open their ears, and look at what is happening to our precious democracy. Mga kababayan, nananawagan ako sa inyo. Buksan ninyo ang inyong mga mata. Buksan ninyo ang inyong mga tainga. AIamin ninyo kung ano ang nangyayari ngayon sa ating demokrasya. Bago po ako magtapos, nais ko pong pasalamatan ang Kalihim ng Department of the Interior and Local Government, Secretary Puno. Siya po ang nagbigay ng ulat sa akin na iyong limang supporters ni Pangulong Estrada ay nandoon na po sa custody ng CIDG. They are, safe and no harm was done to them. But I condemn the manner they were arrested - pinagsasampal at tinutukan ng baril habang sila ay isinasakay sa sasakyan ng ISAFP. Maraming salamat po. - - 0 - - |
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Copyright © 2008 Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
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