Militants warn of martial law declaration after alert level raised
Militant lawmakers cautioned against the possibility of martial law after police placed the country under terror alert level 3.
In a statement on Friday Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said the alert level may be prone to abuse, particularly in curbing protest actions.
“The Duterte government should think of a better way to address the terror threat, if there is really any, and not execute a blanket measure that includes trampling of democratic rights,” Casilao said.
READ: PH on alert level 3 for possible terror attack—PNP
Casilao said the move was reminiscent of the Arroyo administration when it imposed a Calculated Pre-emptive Response (CPR) in 2005 following a foiled bomb attempt in Roxas Boulevard, which Casilao dismissed as “fearmongering” to discourage people from joining rallies.
“We oppose this measure as this clearly is to discourage people to join legitimate rallies, and we totally doubt if these checkpoints would allow passage of rallyists, and the mere fact that their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are surrendered to the police’s discretion is an outright violation,” Casilao said.
Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas urged the public to be wary of possible moves to set the stage for a declaration of martial law.
“We are increasingly wary that the government may be setting the stage for the implementation of repressive policies that may lead to more rights violations being committed by police and military forces under the Duterte administration,” Brosas said.
“The vestiges of Marcos’ martial law clearly remain to this day and we call for vigilance among our people to thwart all attempts to bring us back to the dark days of martial law,” she added.
Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago questioned the timing of the terror alert level, which was imposed amid a wave of protests against the hero’s burial of dictator Ferdinand Marcos openly supported by President Rodrigo Duterte.
READ: Millennials, baby boomers sing the same hits in protest
“While we do not discount the very real threat posed by terrorist groups, we are wary that the so-called ‘terror alert level 3’ coupled with the state of lawlessness proclamation will pave the way for political persecution, crackdowns even – especially as this announcement comes at a time when dissent against the Duterte administration’s recent actions are mounting,” Elago said.
Elago urged the public to be vigilant against possible moves to declare martial law following the heightened terror alert level.
Elago expressed fear Duterte may be taking a cue from Marcos in possibly declaring martial law.
“We fear that all these moves might even result to the imminent declaration of martial law. If that happens, then Mr. Duterte will be taking another page from the book of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which the President has shown absurd admiration for in recent weeks,” Elago said.
On Twitter, Liberal Party lawmaker Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat warned of a deadly Christmas day following the bomb and ambush attempts, extra-judicial killings, and the firefight with the Maute group, a terror group which has pledged loyalty to the Islamic State (ISIS), this month.
“Bombings, ambush. State of lawlessness. Maute. EJKs. Deadly Christmas,” Baguilat said.
Duterte has ruled out the possibility of declaring martial law, calling the proposition “stupid” which did not benefit the country when Marcos imposed it, and has vowed not to impose oppressive policies during his administration.
READ: Duterte thumbs down declaration of martial law, calls it ‘stupid’
Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Thursday announced that the country has been placed under terror alert level 3 — a warning that a deadly terror attack is imminent “within a short period of time” — after he presented to the media two men who were arrested for their supposed role in Monday’s failed bomb attack near the US Embassy in Manila.
READ: PH on high terror alert–Bato | Terror group members tried to bomb Luneta—Bato
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon later clarified that only the provinces of Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga were under a terror alert, and it was still being validated if Metro Manila would be included.
Malacañang has denied the terror alert is a prelude to suspending the writ of habeas corpus and to declaring martial law.
The alert level was raised following a roadside blast in Marawi city Tuesday that wounded Duterte’s advance party, including his presidential security guards, ahead of the President’s visit there. CDG/rga
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