Speaking on behalf of his four colleagues under the "protective custody" of the House of Representatives, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo said they were ready to join rebels in the hills if the administration pushes them to the wall.
One of the embattled lawmakers, Liza Maza of the women’s group Gabriela, left the House premises at around 8 last night. She was escorted by Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar in a 30-vehicle convoy that included media vehicles.
"Well she knows what she’s doing and we have warned her of possible risks of arrest," Majority Leader Prospero Nograles said.
Asked if they would go underground again, Ocampo said: "If we cannot get any justice here in Congress, in our system of justice, then our options are open for our survival.
"The government has pretensions that the democratic process exists, but if we can prove that it is discriminating against us, they are forcing us to leave the system," he added.
House Minority Leader Francis Escudero said it was ironic that Ocampo and his colleagues were being harassed by the government, even after they had returned to the political mainstream.
"After encouraging (leftist lawmakers) to join the mainstream of society and join in the democratic processes, it seems that the Arroyo administration is pursuing a policy of pushing them to go underground again," he said.
Ocampo, former National Democratic Front spokesman, said he and his colleagues — Representatives Teddy Casiño, Joel Virador, Rafael Mariano and Maza — were all victims of harassment perpetrated by President Arroyo.
The NDF is the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Ocampo said their case is "more of a propaganda battle than a legal case" because the "long and short of it is that the government is depriving us (of the right) to represent our constituents in Congress.
"Our decision to join the democratic processes was overwhelmingly supported by the people, as shown in the last two party-list elections," he said.
Ocampo was opposed to suggestions that Congress amend the rebellion law — under which their protest is now a non-bailable offense — after they sought refuge at the House. Currently, their immunity from arrest only covers offenses punishable by six years’ imprisonment and below.
"Amending the law is a long process," he said.
Police said Ocampo and the four other lawmakers, who have refused to leave the sanctuary of the House of Representatives, face arrest if they step outside.
The lawmakers were among 16 people charged with rebellion and attempting a coup d’état in an alleged conspiracy between leftists and "military adventurists" out to topple Mrs. Arroyo.
Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao, Philippine National Police spokesman, said the legal status of Casiño, Maza, Mariano, Ocampo and Virador as fugitives remains.
"If they go out without the authority of the officer who has taken them under custody, they will be considered escapees or fugitives, so they can be arrested without warrant," he told reporters.
"If they go out of the premises of the House of Representatives they will be arrested."
About two dozen female activists from the left-wing Akbayan party were preparing to stage the colorful protest when anti-riot police pushed them with shields, arresting a male organizer for illegal assembly.
The "beauty contestants" — opposition party activists — had gathered at a street intersection wearing gowns, cardboard crowns and paper sashes that read "Miss State of National Emergency" and "Miss Martial Law," referring to Mrs. Arroyo’s weeklong proclamation of a state of national emergency, which she lifted Friday.
The women also donned fake, oversized moles on their left cheeks in imitation of Mrs. Arroyo.
When police nabbed Akbayan coordinator Jessie Dimaisip from the crowd, the women insisted they also board the police truck along with him.
Some climbed on the roof and chanted protest slogans all the way to police headquarters, Akbayan spokesman Percival Cendana said.
Police officer Norberto Reblora said charges of illegal assembly were being prepared against Dimaisip.
Other protesters left the police station, he said.
"It was a mock beauty pageant called ‘Missed State of the Nation,’ and it was supposed to be a peaceful, cultural show that did not merit riot police presence," Cendana said.
"How can they have had an illegal assembly when they have not yet assembled?"
The Akbayan Women participants said the arresting officers were carrying firearms.
"This is a clear violation of the rules of engagement (because) police are not allowed to carry firearms during dispersal operations," Perpetua said.
"This administration is really desperate and planning something sinister. They cannot deny it, we have video footage showing proof. A policeman even accidentally dropped his firearm while many SWAT members carrying Armalite (rifles) were around, too."
Akbayan said it would file a complaint before the National Police Commission against the police officers involved in the dispersal.
Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros rushed to Camp Karingal to condemn the incident.
"Dispersing a supposedly creative cultural endeavor of women was overkill," she said.
"The insecurity of the Arroyo administration is insane. Imagine dispersing a group of 40 women in costume by armed police agents."
Akbayan Women held a picket in front of Camp Karingal calling for the release of Dimaisip.
The group vowed to defy what they call "the resurrection of the Arroyo administration’s Calibrated Preemptive Response (CPR)" to protest actions. The policy allows police to disperse rallies staged without permits at their discretion. A bigger rally is scheduled tomorrow, International Women’s Day.
"It is an irony that we are celebrating National Women’s Month and yet Representative Maza cannot even set foot outside the halls of Congress for fear of being arrested," Las Piñas Rep. Villar said.
In a statement, the female lawmakers vowed "to take action on Maza’s case."
Nueva Ecija Rep. Josefina Joson, who temporarily replaced Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., said part of the month-long celebration is to "tackle issues involving the implementation of Republic Act 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act."
"We want to check on its impact after two years of enactment," she said.
"Free livelihood and medical services for women will also be held, as well as a forum on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw)."
In yesterday’s session, Joson stood as Speaker, while Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez acted as majority leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos was designated minority leader.
The female lawmakers said they will also push for the immediate enactment of the Juvenile Justice Bill to "rebuild the lives and future of more than 20,000 children languishing in jails."
Maza and Hontiveros took the opportunity to attack the administration, declaring that Proclamation 1017, despite its lifting, is no different from the martial law of President Ferdinand Marcos.
The female lawmakers are expected to pass House Bill 3766, the Magna Carta for Women, which remained pending in the House committee on women since February 2005.
It seeks to empower women politically, socially and economically.
The Magna Carta for Women is the consolidated version of House Bills 33 and 2970 of former Quezon representative Bellaflor Angara-Castillo and Nueva Ecija Rep. Joson.. — Delon Porcalla, Katherine Adraneda, AFP, AP