Saturday, April 14, 2007
 
	

THE OTHER VIEW
By Elmer A. Ordoñez
Trojan Horse


Unbeknownst to many of the voters now deciding on whom to put in both houses of Congress is the passage of the Human Security Act of 2007, or antiterrorism bill (ATB), signed by the President, to take effect after the election. The voters should know who among the candidates gave their imprimatur to the ATB in the last session.

What appears to be a middle-force group known as Kilusang Makabansang Ekonomiya (Movement for a Nationalist Economy, or KME) calls the Human Security Act “legislated martial law.” Former Sen. Jovito Salonga, Catholic bishops Antonio Tobias, Deogra­cias Iniguez, Vicente Navarra, Julio Labayen, Bishop Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Zenaida “Nini” Quezon Avancena, candidate Sonia Roco, Alicia Aleli Arroyo, undersecretaries Fe A. Hidalgo and Milvinda M. Guevarra, and publisher Ka­rina Bolasco are among the thousands who have signed their anti-ATB statement.

In the upper House only Sens. Jamby Madrigal and Mar Roxas voted against the anti­terrorism bill, with the former saying that “those who have supported and pushed for this bill have the blood of Filipinos in their hands.” (cf. this column, MT, 3/10/7).

The KME statement signed by Salonga et al says: “The Antiterrorism Law is a most inhuman law as it makes insecure anyone in his own Motherland. It is clearly a violation of the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and other human rights treaties of which the Philippines is a signatory. It strips the protection of every citizen against unwarranted government abuse of basic human rights by vesting the Chief Executive with absolute authority to order one’s arrest without a Court Order. In effect, the Executive Branch through the newly legislated Antiterrorism Council issues a warrant of arrest—a return to the infamous and notorious ASO of the dark days of Martial Law. It institutionalizes dictatorial powers of he Chief Executive under the guise of securing national interests.”

I have devoted several columns on the subject of state terror and de facto martial law; hence, I find the KME statement expressive of the concerns of the public, still unarticulated, about the ATB. Curiously, the media’s reaction to the passage of the bill was limited to simply reporting it. I may have missed reading any column or editorial expressing outrage against the ATB—before and after its passage. Will the media wait after the election to comment on the ATB’s taking effect?

“In a weak and corrupt government,” the KME statement says, “this law will be most certainly abused, as even without it, the events of the past two years already show government’s propensity to abuse human rights. Calibrated Pre­emptive Response (CPR), E.O. 464, Proclamation 1017, the refusal of the Executive Branch to testify in the Senate, threats to freedom of speech and assembly, the blatant extrajudicial killings of journalists and activists and the recent persecution of progressive party-list candidates have developed a climate of shameless impunity on the part of the GMA administration.”

The KME statement calls the ATB “an adjunct of the US-led global war on terror which tramples upon human rights and international humanitarian law.” This is what this column has been saying all along.

When the AFP chief of staff called for the revival of the Antisubversion Law (repealed during the Ramos regime) the PNP spokesman said the revival was not necessary because of the Antiterrorism Bill. Right, just tag communist suspects or sympathizers as terrorists and they will be put away.

The lack of media coverage and commentary during the discussion and passage of the ATB has enabled the garrison state to push through the bill amid apathy and distraction in an election period. Indeed, the Greeks hidden in the wooden horse that the Trojans thought was a parting gift for them were able to penetrate the walls of Troy and let in the Greek armies to sack the city.

What happened to our civil libertarians in the Senate and the House that they had allowed this infamous law to be passed? What has happened to our usually vigilant media commentators who were apparently caught sleeping during the catastrophe. From the start the legal Left together with some middle forces have been conducting anti-ATB forums and demonstrations, but unless the whole spectrum of civil libertarians and human-rights advocates wage a concerted opposition to ATB we are doomed to another long period of martial law.

The senators who approved the bill and are now running for reelection include Manuel Villar, Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson, Rafael Recto and Edgardo Angara. To redeem themselves they (and the House reelectionists who voted for the bill) can reconsider their support of ATB and work with KME, the militant opposition and other concerned citizens for the repeal of this unconstitutional and tyrannical law. If they do so, they shall have deserved the respect of the electorate.