Martial Law, by Malacañang standard, is rule of law

Malacañang repeatedly declares it will never resort to Martial Law, but the recent events that we see and hear are naked truth that belies the government statement. The Rule of Law that the President claims is nothing but Martial Law in disguise. All her actions and declarations are pointing to the same thing. No amount of denial can refute this fact.

The calibrated preemptive response policy now being applied to protest actions of opposition groups and disgruntled citizens is deemed unconstitutional and against the law by law and Constitution experts including Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J, and Chairperson Purificacion Quisumbing of the Commission on Human Rights.

The Philippine Constitution clearly provides that No law should be passed that would curtail the freedoms of speech, of expression and to peaceful assembly. The authorities are the ones violating human rights when they prevent, more so when they violently disperse, peaceful demonstrations. Protest actions are rights guaranteed and recognized by international standards.

Malacañang is answerable to its blatant disrespect of the human rights of its unarmed citizens. The actions of riot police and their cohorts are condemnable. In many places, arrest and detention, torture, salvaging, disappearance, and harassment of civilians are continuing. The President and her advisers, as well as those who blindly follow her illegal orders, have every reason to be insecure.

History has proven that Martial Rule, or Rule of Law as it is called now, will not cow nor discourage dissidence. On the contrary, the anger that it unleashes from peoples shall spur them into more actions until such government that has lost its moral authority to govern well and thus unwanted by peoples is unseated.

History never lies.

Leonor B. Gomez
Deputy Director for Operations
TFDP Visayas