The Filipino Nation is at a precipice. The river of blood that flow from Maguindanao is an endless stream of our nation’s collective shame. Their ghost hunts this nation and will forever hunt this nation until their Cry for Justice is quenched. So Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo justifies Proclamation 1959 to stall a virtual rebellion, and a State of Martial Law now exist in Maguindanao. For the second time in recent days, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has pushed the boundaries of propriety, of acceptable norm. Mrs. Arroyo pushes the envelope to shatter the status quo. Proclamation 1959 aims to dismantle the Ampatuan Regime, and remove the firepower they hold. On the face of it, our people cheer on, satisfied that Justice, Law and Order is being imposed. Is our collective alleluia inaugurating a new Era of Darkness?
In the past, Presidents have balked at using Martial Law powers as granted to them by the Constitution. Mrs. Aquino never imposed it even has her government was poised to fall and she overcame half a dozen coup d’eta attempts without invoking Martial Law. Mr. Ramos’ relatively calm administration had no need for it. Mr. Estrada’s abbreviated stay at the Palace with its infamous War with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front had not imposed Martial Law. There has never been such a need for it. The words “Martial Law” evoke such distaste in people’s mouth and past Presidents have perhaps considered it only to walk away because to impose it, will bring a reminder of 1972. Is there such a need for it now?
Has the public got rid of the post EDSA 1 martial law allergy? It may be too early to tell since for many Filipinos, Maguindanao is a far off place. But if Manila was placed under martial law, people may yet develop a case of hives!
But what is really disturbing that it seems so easy for the civil courts to become non-functional with fear, thus giving more reason for the Executive to dabble with martial law. Who is to judge if the courts are non-functional? Answer: the Presidential Palace and not the independent and co-equal branch of government, the Judicature. This is something that the libertarians (some with law degrees) have glossed over even in Facebook posts.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s proclamation is obviously a trial balloon of sorts and may be shot in the arm. Let’s see if our democratic “immune system” can produce the antibodies against dictatorship.
The EDSA constitutional system however is riddled with contradictions and flaws and in itself a danger to democracy.
If past dangers to the nation is our benchmark, how then do we justify Martial Law in Maguindanao? Are the tools of statecraft so broken that we have to resort to Martial Law? Days prior to the imposition of Martial Law, the PCIJ Fact Finding Team observed these with regard to Maguindanao:
Poor handing and contamination of the massacre site Poor handing of the remains Apparent preference for testimonial rather than physical evidence CAFGU Detachment, “MNLF Camp’s near the site Vehicles allegedly used by suspects still unaccounted for; Fear grips residents near the site, and seems to prevent them from speaking out Enormous weapons arsenal of the Ampatuans not fully confiscated Road leads to nowhere Imperative to disarm all clans, political families in the area Missing or still undisclosed documents Government resources used to fly Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his lawyer Sigfried Fortun Government response to the situation not fully eased the anxiety and fear of the residents and media workers in the affected areas; The threats to the safety and security of the communities linger, especially with the forthcoming elections likely to fireup the tension between partisan rivals and political clans
The Philippine Star quoted Justice Secretary Devanadera saying:
”
…that a number of towns controlled by the Ampatuans in Maguindanao are already in a state where allegiance to the duly constituted authorities is absent and the local government officials in those areas have effectively shut down the operations of municipal offices.
In several instances, she noted that armed groups have prevented people from obeying the law.
“Therefore that is a manifestation, an overt act showing that they are following some other forces.”
What guarantee is there that with Martial Law imposed, that justice be done?
Nothing in our recent past has justified the Return of Martial Law. If ever there was, coup d’tet and the war with MILF might have been good justifications. At face value, logic says that imposing this on Maguindanao is the right way yet why can’t I help but think that this preemptive action smacks of The George W. Bush Doctrine of act now and ask questions later? It sounds like a political move, tick tok, the chess pieces go. And all opposition can do is to play defense.
To think of Martial Law imposed on Maguindanao as simply about Maguindanao is to see with too narrow eyes. It is a case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t. How far then do you trust Arroyo to wield these powers? Arroyo holds on to power tightly and how she wields it, so casually. Would you trust that this isn’t a faint that becomes clear five moves down the road?
To top it all, to think of Maguindanao as simply an isolated incident is a mistake. Local Bosses Across the Country are readying for 2010.
Lhal wrote:
So either this proclamation of martial law is genuine or a cover-up is up to the people to decide. One could also note that Maguindanao is where this adminstration got most of its votes in the 2004 and the 2007 elections. This government to me is testing the waters. Martial law was the last resort of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos when he couldn’t run for President anymore. Now it’s being tested again by another unpopular president. I would not be surprised if one day when people would be caught by surprise again and see this country under martial rule. God help us.
Thus, how can we not think of all this in the context of Iran Election? Lara from ABC News tweeted this about Iran:
#Iran reportedly arrests 15 of the Mourning Mothers, who’ve held weekly demos protesting the deaths and detention of their children.
If we give Gloria Arroyo this, what is to stop her from doing more in the next six months? I can not help but think of Arroyo as Scar and she has unleashed the Black Lanterns upon us while the Yellow Light of the LPs and Orange color of NPs and every other party are busy scrambling for the ultimate prize of 2010. Will the color of the rainbows band together to oppose this threat? Will they find common purpose and an acceptable answer that gives justice to Maguindanao and restore balance?
The envelope has been pushed. A sitting president is running for a congressional seat— a demotion and yet all indication points to the fact she wants to continue on staying in power. Then there is Proclamation 1959 that came from the heel of Arroyo’s announcement to seek a congressional position. Martial Law at last is imposed. While we Filipinos wrap our collective minds around the idea, are we in fact being blinded to the movement of chess pieces?
If Congress agrees with the President that will be license to push the envelope further. Unleash your imagination at what Arroyo can do, unopposed and sky is the limit. However our fears and rage made into light at the sight of blood flowing from Maguindanao, the sword of Martial Law must be returned to its sheath. The repercussions and the license to do whatever Arroyo wants is too high a price to pay. Just look at the Bush Doctrine and how unchecked power has done to the world in the name of those victims of 9/11. Maguindanao might be our Francis Ferdinand. Maguindanao might be our 9/11. Beware our Fears made into light, but do we have the ability to overcome Great Fear? As we chant, “never again,” the question remain, is our French Defense too slow?
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This post was first published at Cocoy Chronicles
This work by Cocoy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Philippines License.
Based on a work at cocoy.tumblr.com.
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what happened to “this is my last post”? :) pre-empted?
Back in 2005, GMA was already pushing the envelope but many chose to look the other way. Remember “Let’s Move On” and “Wait for 2010″?
people chose to look the other way because everyone wanted stability, not more conflict.
Stability in exchange for tolerating electoral fraud and the instruments through which these fraud was carried out. What do you think of that tradeoff now?
If we are playing chess, GMA is aiming for a brilliancy move. It’s a boom or bust. Winner take all. But as the initiator of the brilliancy move, GMA has the upper hand and by a blink of an eye, we are checkmated.
He he. Bye bye “move on crowd”. Wait for 2010, ha.
Mga bugok.
Are you assuming that the “move-on” crowd are against this Maguindanao Martial Law declaration?
I am reading enough blogcomments applauding the imposition of martial law for the quick arrest of the Ampatuans, their bodyguards especially those who were involved in massacre.
But Pinas has a republican form of democracy so the will of the people will be expressed through the actions of the members of congress.
No, i am not assuming that the move on crowd are actaul;ly in favor of martial law in Maguindano. That is true to their form. Madaling maloko ni Gloria. He he he.
The massacre that took place simply jolted some of us, not all of us. Spawning of warlordism is just one of our major problem. Ours is wild wild west politics. We can’t have stability. Filipinos don’t know how to behave as a citizen of a country. We dont know the real meaning of patriotism…we don’t care about the state of the country..we simply care about ourselves…kapag mamantika ang labi..ok na!
Question : “Are they still roaming around free, those Ampatuans?”
Answer : “… another 47 arrested, kasama iyong big-name Ampatuans, okay lang, ano?”
Question : “How did GMA get them arrested?”
Answer : “Nag martial-law sa Maguindanao, then bilisan ang pag-aresto.”
Question : “Huh??? Papaano martial law, puwede bang reason for martial law iyong political-clan-murders?”
Answer : “Hay…. details, details, details. Eh di i-revoke nina NoyNoy at Enrile, problema na iyan ng Kongreso.”
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So far in the chess game, GMA is being cool.
Dapat nga, she should be representative 2nd-District Pampanga, GMA knows politics.
punona,
If you were playing chess.
How would you play the board.
And, what makes you think, that she’s playing a skilled game of chess. It could be her own doomsday for all I care. But, the repercussion of this “Martial Law” is totally was not the brightest move on her part. Whether it be the Filipino abiding citizens or the Clansmans itself, both sides will retaliate. In such, there could be no favor on her part of her chess playing tactical skill.
To move a pawn, could be the brightest that she could have done. But, yet she chose to move her knight, to jump over obstacle and not rendering any advice from her teams, is a devastating move on her part.
So now, “move on crowd” would be what?
Furthermore, I advice you to read this. “Letter from yours Truly” Knowledge is good you know. Not just for your understanding, but for your own[us] people.
I dunno, Cocoy. If you are the country’s President and one of its provinces has descended into bestiality and most of the authority in that province is run by the beasts, and the judges are afraid to act, what do you do? Can you imagine the criticism going Ms. Arroyo’s way if she did nothing? And the beasts continued to rampage? She would be considered “one of them”.
It seems to me great wariness is warranted, for lack of trust. But I think condemnation is too early.
Joe
My friend Joe,
Is that like saying that for a government to arrest a clan of mass murderer families there is a need for the president of a democratic country to declare Martial Law?
Of course any president will be criticise for doing nothing, but, Martial Law is too serious a thing to trifle with everytime some criminals need to be arrested.
And we already know what this president of ours is capable of doing. If we kept on being complacent about this Martial Law thing we will find oursleves over neck-deep in shit later then weep.
Bert,
The situation requires a firm hand, for sure. I am merely saying I was relieved that it was displayed. Others express outrage about it, having lost all trust of Ms. Arroyo. That is Ms. Arroyo’s fault, too, that lack of trust. But I think if one starts with the assumption that Ms. Arroyo is ALWAYS out to do wrong, one may occasionally wrong. And risk complicating things by creating a tone of dissension when unity is best.
My position is not to judge right now. And I am appreciating comments from all sides. But it does need a firm hand. That I know.
Joe
Everytime Martial Law is brandished by any President. Everybody
jumps and are filled with anxieties. I think Gloria Arroyo use
Martial Law to prevent the Ampatuan Clan from using the Due Process of Law. They have 40 lawyers. Who want them bailed out for their cases. Once they are free on bails. They will all jump bail.
These Mass Murderers did not even give their victims any semblance
of due process. Or even human treatment. Why should
they be granted any due process of law.
I am not a lover of Martial Law. I lived thru it during the Marcos
Regime. Neither, I am a lover of the Arroyo Regime. The faster we
have a closure on this case. The better we can move on with our
lives.
They must not forget the people who sold arms and ammunitions. They
should face the Firing Squad. High treason is their crime. We would
like a full investigation on this matter.
What’s up with all the article deletions here? There was an article called Apologies and Resolutions that simply disappeared… (I’ve got a copy of it in my email though thanks to RSS…).
What’s up with the Benign0 disappearing, too? Strange how things vanish around here.
Joe
Dont worry about it. Everything disappears in our country. Blogs,
public funds, guns, ammunitions, people murdered, etc…the more you get used to it; the better.
LOL hyden… that’s funny
There is a BERMUDA TRIANGLE near Bahamas in the
Carribean. Where boats, planes, people, etc… dissappeared without traces. THE UFOs and Extra Terrestials are the suspects. No, I never intend to give hints that they do it like the Ampatuans. It is
Out of this World Phenomena.
Now the UFOs and the Extra Terrestials have placed
their Materializing/Dematerializing Equipment in the
Philippines. They may have been amused on how our
Politicians and our Political Warlords are behaving.
We ask them to DEMATERIALIZE these Politicians and
Warlords. So that we can have peace and semblances
of sensible lives. Please spare our Blogs!
cocoy,
The immense power that GMA is forcing to the people is so vast, with a wide loop holes to our current Constitution. She does have a firm grips on the people. I just hope our Congress convene with such knowledge and uphold the Law for which it stand for, our rights to be govern as a Filipino citizens. Under these circumstances, it is obvious that the springs of government are slack. Give them a new tension, and the evil will be cured. Think less of punishing faults, and more of rewarding that which you need. In this manner you will restore to your republic the vigor of youth. Because free people have been ignorant of this procedure, they have lost their liberty! But if the evil has made such headway that ordinary governmental procedures are unable to cure it, then resort to an extraordinary tribunal with considerable powers for a short time. The imagination of the citizens needs to be struck a hard blow. This what i call temporary dictatorship. One must assume power, to be able to denounce anyone in power. God save the King!
Food for Thoughts:
Pinoy-in-Pinas, please do your homework and study hard for these Presidential candidacy. It is our obligation to do so. Pick the one you think has the knowledge(s), not Wowowee kind of stuff.
Mario,
I was proud of my wife today. She pushed back in a small way at the SS office when she submitted payment on two forms for two months; they wanted her to rewrite the forms to put two months on one form. She said “no way”. They took her money on two forms, and muttered a little . . .
It will be interesting when a whole nation begins to push back, in little ways, to break down this sense of authority, and often insanity, that the government projects, often in snotty little ways, when they provide really poor “service” to citizens.
Time to end the subservience, I think . . . We need some t-shirts . . . hmmmm, pondering the slogans now . . .
Joe
The greatest fear of the ruling class.
Not the ruling class, just regular workers — what one encounters at local SS office.
Pero Pinoys do have to learn to be obnoxious every so often, obnoxious in being less cooperative and more insistent on obtaining good customer service.
joe,
Give your wife two thumbs up for me. Glad she stood up.
• one transaction = 1 receipt
• two transactions = 2 receipts
• and so on…= [...]
i.e. “no wonder our government system is bad”
Seems like everything is coming back.
Or are the events just coincidental?
http://ytlab.blogspot.com/2009/12/deja-vu.html
I do agree with the posts mentioned and to some of the comments previously said that this is a trial balloon of sorts. A Systematic testing of weaknesses of the Filipino people. I fear that this martial law could extended or once be evoked again in February. Could GMA be trying to convince the people that she uses her power for good? or hide her real intent of downgrading the punishment of the Ampatuans from mass murderers to mere rebels. Maybe that she’s trying to eliminate her conspirators from talking as investigations found empty ballot boxes and weapons bearing AFP signs.