August 30, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Reference:
Sarah Katrina Maramag
Vice-Chairperson/Media Officer, 09193486790

Eleanor de Guzman
Chairperson, 09282555423

Youth group warns of state terror-backlash
Joma arrest to justify attacks on Left, anti-GMA mov't

Youth group Anakbayan today warned that the Philippine government may be preparing a terror-backlash on the legal Left following the arrest of Prof. Jose Maria Sison in the Netherlands.

Anakbayan said that the Philippine government and the AFP seem to be creating an atmosphere of unrest and dissent by employing overkill measures to downplay expected public censure over Sison's baseless arrest.

"As wee see it, Mrs. Arroyo and her AFP are now doing the exact tactic they did to justify the war in Basilan and Sulu – talking peace but, in truth, gearing for an offensive war," said Anakbayan chairperson Eleanor de Guzman.

"They now appear to be setting their sights on the CPP-NPA-NDF and are preparing to launch attacks against organizations they have maliciously tagged as front organizations under the guise of the Terror Law," de Guzman said.

De Guzman said that Sison's arrest might be the 'trigger' the government is waiting for to be able to implement the Terror Law to its fullest extent.

"Realizing how unpopular the war in Mindanao, and the government's war on terror, in general, are, the Arroyo administration's offensives are nothing but desperate and defensive attempts to justify attacks on the Left and the anti-Arroyo movement."

"Plus, how convenient could it be for Mrs. Arroyo to have something as big as Sison's arrest dislodge her from the Hello Garci hot seat?"

"Mrs. Arroyo and her operators in Malacanang are mistaken if they think that Sison's arrest has a demoralizing effect on the Left and the broad anti-Arroyo coalition. We are prepared to defy the Terror Law and bring the Garci issue to its righteous conclusion," said de Guzman. ###