Statement - Martial Law then and now

Some people love to believe that Martial Law is a history. Even the military and the police declare that they will never permit this thing to happen again. The signs however are very clear, the country is under undeclared Martial Law.

The Philippines is besieged with widespread human rights violations topped by killing of political activists and journalists, disappearances, and torture. Red labeling is prevalent thus threatening the safety and security even of those genuinely working for change legally and above ground such as progressive peoples organizations, non-government organizations, and left leaning opposition personalities. Cases documented by different human rights organizations may differ statistically, but they point at one common thing - the heightening human rights violations under the Arroyo administration, a situation that was prevalent during the Marcos years.

Mrs. Gloria Arroyo's all out war and penchant for issuing policies that have curtailed the freedoms of speech and assembly such as Proclamation 1017, Batasang Pambansa 880, and calibrated pre-emptive response are very much like the tyranny that reigned over our country during the time of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Although one cannot deny that the Arroyo administration is treading the path toward tyranny and authoritarian rule, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo differs from Marcos in that, at least, the late strongman openly acknowledged his tyranny by placing the country under Martial Law. But GMA is plunging the country toward tyranny while maintaining that she is doing this to protect sovereignty and democracy.

The hypocrisy or double standard of democracy under GMA can be clearly illustrated in her 2006 State of the Nation Address (SONA), saying that extra judicial killings have no place under a democracy as she lauded Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan - the man blamed by human rights groups as the main perpetrator of the killings, and whose pronouncements in media show an utter disregard for human rights - for his efforts in the war against the communist insurgency.

Marcos was a dictator, but at least Proclamation 1081 made sure that we understood that he was one. Now we have a President trying to make us believe that her administration's tyranny is for the good of democracy. And here lies one of the major differences of Martial Law then and now many are falling into believing that GMA is right. Then, if we are now in crises situation, the blame may not be on the President alone, but on the people also who allow democracy to become hostage of dictatorship once more.

LEONOR B. GOMEZ
Visayas Coordinator
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)