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BAYAN Statement on the latest Makati standoff
Press Statement
November 29, 2007
Reference: Carol Araullo, chairperson
The stand-off in Makati is the result of the continuing and festering
problems of involving the Arroyo regime. The issues raised by the rebel
soldiers have been long standing problems of the country; these include
the absence of legitimacy of the president, massive corruption and human
rights abuses.
We understand and sympathize with the grievances and issues being raised
by Sen. Antonio Trillanes. The Arroyo regime has long disregarded the
rights and welfare of the people in its bid to desperately cling on to
power. The Arroyo regime has long disregarded the legitimate calls for her
to step down. Her failure to address these issues has led to widespread
dissent from the people and even from the ranks of the military. It is
therefore not difficult to understand why these actions from the military
are happening.
We warn the
Arroyo administration against using violence or other repressive measures
to resolve the stand-off. We take exception to statements of the likes of
Sec. Norberto Gonzales who is again desperately trying to link progressive
and leftist groups to the ongoing Makati incident. These baseless
allegations again similar to the so-called "Left-Right conspiracy" that
the government fabricated last February 24, 2006 to crackdown on the
Opposition.
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The last thing the country needs right now is a declaration of a "state of
emergency" similar to what the government imposed last year. The people
will resist such a declaration#
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Bayan-USA: Fil-Ams position themselves in Makati
military stand-off; curfew imposed is the dawn of full
implementation of martial law
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Moro human rights group lambasts curfew and arrest
of mediamen
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PCPR Condemns Malacañang Assault on Civilians, Media
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The Filipino people are one with Trillanes and Lim's
act of defiance-CPP
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Human rights lawyers condemn curfew and arrest of
media as violation of the constitution and an arbitrary overkill-NUPL
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Media arrests and curfews:regime with penchant for
dictatorial powers sends out chilling effect-Gabriela
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Statement of
Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Magdalo soldier
Transcript: Statement of Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Magdalo soldier
11/29/2007 | 02:14 PM
After storming out of the Makati City Regional Trial Court on Thursday,
Senator Antonio Trillanes and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim marched to the Manila
Peninsula Hotel where they read statements in front of members of the
media.
Following is the transcript of Lim's statement which he read during the
conference:
"Today, we address all decent Filipinos to announce that now is the time
to end the sufferings and miseries inflicted upon us by the illegitimate
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo government and start a new life, a new
Philippines. The die is cast pursuant to our constitutional mandate as
protector of the people and state.
And by these acts the officers and men of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine National Police supported by the masses of
our people and the various political forces give substance to the
constitutional provisions which says the Philippines is a democratic and
republican state.
Sovereign peace resides in the people and all government authority emanate
from them. That we take the faithful steps of removing Mrs Arroyo from the
presidency and undertake the formation of a new government.
Mrs Arroyo had occupied the presidency under a questionable mandate
publicly disputed by a vast majority of Filipinos. She stole the
presidency from President Estrada through unconstitutional and deceitful
means and later manipulated the results of the 2004 elections to
perpetuate herself in power.
We have individually and collectively tried all means to resolve this
legitimacy issue through the normal electoral, judicial, and congressional
processes but Mrs Arroyo used naked power through the issuance of
Executive Order 464 and other executive proclamations and the sheer weight
of numbers to paralyze the impeachment process procured at the people's
great expense to fustrate us at every turn.
After all these have failed our people tried to air their grievances in
peaceful street assemblies. They thought they were exercising a
combination of constitutional right which no official or agency of
government may legally abridge but they were stopped and dispersed
violently with cannons from firemen and truncheons from the police.
The abuses of
our government continue the deliberate refusal or failure of the dubious
leaders to castigate and prosecute the people responsible for the
scandalous Hello, Garci electoral cheating, the Joc-joc Bolante multi
million peso fertilizer scam, Impsa bribery, the Jose Pidal and Jueteng
scandals involving billions of public funds, the North Rail Project,
scandal, the Venable contract scandal, the NBN scandal, the wholesale
bribery of congressmen in Malacañang as well as the unabated and
unresolved extrajudicial killings of citizens particularly journalists and
members of the judiciary and the use of military and police officers for
some unlawful mission.
Among others, these are clear proof of her failure for good and decent
governance. There are numerous illegal and immoral activities and
transactions conducted by these government with impunity that betray the
citizens and the state of their pristine right to exist as a people with
decency, dignity and integrity.
With all the
avenues closed by the use of naked force, no other means remain but for
the officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the
Philippine National Police to exercise their constitutional mandate and to
take the side of the sovereign people against this illegitimate and unjust
president.
We take due indulgence and apologize for any untoward disruptions
attendant to fighting this righteous cause.
We are confident that the will of the sovereign people will prevail. The
end of the corrupt and vicious government and its bogus leaders is long
overdue.
We support the political and economic reforms that will be initiated by
the new government regardless of the personal cost it may impose on each
one of us.
We therefore call on our people and all the government around the world to
give the constitutional rescue initiated by our patriotic brothers in the
Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police a
chance to work.
To the task of organizing a new government and pursuing a program of total
and no nonsense reform, we commit our full support.
We shall do whatever we can too to prevent any backsliding to the
corruption and abuse of power of the immediate past and advance the cause
of truth, freedom and justice, peace and progress for all Filipinos. God
bless the Filipino people. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas." |
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NATIONAL UNION
OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
Statement
November 29, 2007
MEDIA NOT THE ENEMY
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) urges the
Philippine National Police (PNP) to stop treating journalists who covered
the failed Magdalo uprising as enemies of the state.
We protest in strongest terms the PNP's move to forcibly bring some
journalists to the National Capital Region Police Office in Bicutan and
condemn the confiscation of video footage of the day-long stand-off at the
Manila Peninsula Hotel.
We denounce the overkill that led to the tying of the hands of members of
ABS-CBN's technical team and reporters in what looked like a virtual
arrest. The explanation by police officials and Defense Secretary Gilbert
Teodoro that the move was made to prevent the escape of Magdalo troops
does not wash.
The technical team had superiors who could have been asked to verify their
identities. And, certainly, there is no reason police officials would be
ignorant of the identities of reporters Pinky Webb and Ces Drilon.
While we concede the PNP's right to conduct a thorough investigation of a
crime – and we do not dispute that the takeover of the Peninsula was a
crime – the police ought to follow legal procedures. Invitations to
questioning should be differentiated from coercion; journalists have the
option to accept the invitation and, certainly, should be accorded the
basic right to counsel.
We concede
authorities' right to demand a halt to coverage that could jeopardize the
lives of state security forces but believe any move for redress should
pass through normal channels, involving management of television stations
and not lowly ground staff.
While journalists' refusal to leave the Pen when ordered by the cops could
have jeopardized their lives, live footage of the Pen standoff showed they
did not block authorities from doing their tasks. Nor is their little to
support suspicions that media showed bias for Trillanes and company; if
anything the rebels complained about media's alleged bias for government.
It is regrettable that a day that would have given the government a
clear-cut political victory would be marred by knee-jerk reactions of the
authorities. This government claims it is protecting democracy. It should
realize that media is a prime component of the democracy it purports to
serve.
Reference:
Jose Torres, Jr.
NUJP Chairman
"A writer is an editor of memory. In writing we make the loves we should
have made, wage wars we should have waged. It doesn't always make up for
the real thing, but it does have its rewards."
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