Militant youth take martial law resentment to streets
Members of the militant League of Filipino Students in Iloilo City hold a picket in protest of the declaration of Martial Law in Maguindanao.Never again to martial law!?
The deafening call of a handful of youth belonging to Kabataan Partylist seemed too late with the government’s announcement of Proclamation No. 1959 declaring a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao, except for certain areas identified as bailiwicks of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) separatists.
Hours after the proclamation, the militant youth did an indignation rally at downtown Iloilo City Saturday afternoon to oppose the declaration of Martial law.
According to Cong. Raymond Patalino of the Kabataan Partylist, they were surprised with the declaration, particularly when they read the bases for it.
“Na-realize natin na dapat kaagad itong i-revoke ng Congress,” he said adding that they were scheduled to have a press conference by Sunday (December 6) to call on among their colleagues in the Congress to rescind the proclamation.
Patalino also revealed that they will have an emergency caucus today, December 7, to discuss martial law.
“Naninindigan kami na ito ay dangerous and it will set a bad precedent dahil iyong basis for martial law declaration ay hindi reflective duon sa nangyayri sa Mindanao. Pangalawa, hindi ito ang demand ng ating mga kababayan na nanawagan ng hustisya,” he stressed.
On his part, Patalino claimed that he did not saw it coming.
“I don’t see that the declaration of martial law will become the government’s option dahil ano nga naman ‘yung basis nila to declare martial law?” he quipped.
“First, hindi naman rebellion yung charge sa Ampatuan family kundi murder. Matagal ng militarized ang province na ‘yun. Sa totoo lang, ang ibang sentiments nga ng mga tao na matagal ng ,may martial law sa Mindanao because of the heavy military presence,” the Kabataan Partylist representative added.
Despite the presence of the military, Patalino claimed that bloodshed was not prevented.
“So, parang sa tingin naming unnecessary itong martial law declaration, dangerous for setting a bad precedent dahil baka ito ang gamiting halimbawa to declare martial law sa iba pang areas,” he said adding that what happened in Maguindanao is not an isolated incident.
“And because of poll automation, baka magkaroon din ng bloodshed sa ibang lugar,” he added.
For members of the progressive bloc, government should be blamed of the Maguindanao massacre.
“Well, una, tinatawag na naming siyang Ampatuan massacre. Ang sinisisi din namin dito ang role ng government. Because of the culture of impunity – yung mga extra-judicial killings, mga journalists killing na hanggang ngayon wala pa ring prosecution –that led to a situation na mayroong isang political family na walang kinakatakutan,” Patalino said.
He also slammed the executive order wherein private armies could be utilized like a civilian defense unit.
Patalino also hit the government for “not acting swiftly. It took many days before arrests were made at ito ay reflection din ng political system na mayroon tayo.”
