Palace Declares State of Emergency

[LytSlpr]

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^^ seryos ka sa imong gisulti? opposition ra jud ang dautan og administration sakto?

sala ni sa oposisyon, need i say more?

pasa... itsa2x... 3 poiints...

typical attitude of a loyalist/fanatic. pastilan.

yeah.. yeah.. it's better than being a hypocrite and morally righteous with no solid action.

ngano, para sa tinuod ba to ang rally? TUBAG!

[FK]

yeah.. yeah.. it's better than being a hypocrite and morally righteous with no solid action.

hehehehehe... kinsa man bai ang nag rally2x pag EDSA II claiming that what they fight for is what is moral? and who is now saying that cheating is alright because everybody does it? is it me?

ngano, para sa tinuod ba to ang rally? TUBAG!

i'm no madam auring... tinuod ra ba ang rally kong mo take side ang mga negosyante? Mga negosyante? pareho ra tawn sa mga binayran sa rally... ginansiya ra'y gi tan-aw... ayaw na lang ta. So who are you to judge kong onsa ang tinuod ba ang tumong sa rally o dili?

All I can say is that cheating is not good... and it will be questionable enough for a person to cheat and claims that she/he only wants what is best for the country... kasukaon uroy ko... Hypocrite? Isulti na sa imong madam president.

[monrose29]

sayang wa ma dayon.. dayon ta tong ilang cuop para mag gubat.. para makitang katag...

[pnoize]

so pnoize2k6 naa kay feeling na magmartial law ni after the 30days?

I cannot tell when, but just take a look at what's been happening.

[pnoize]

@pnoize2k6 i think a state of emergency was declared sometime in 2001? wala man ni martial law lagi... wala man ganahan ug martial law, kanang karon tama lang na para maSuppress ang what they deem to be immediate problem na power grab.

Actually it was a state of rebellion that she declared in 2001 after the supporters of Erap stormed the Palace. This did not involve the military and the political circumstances were different.

[jnex]

Nganong maka ingon ta nga dili na gyud tinood ning mga rally2x no kay ngano nagbalik2x na man gud nang mga nawong sa mga nag rally!!! Ni-apil sa Edsa 1, Edsa II and etc....ngano kay wa gyud nila nakuha ilang gusto sa kinabuhi? Naa sa Edsa makita ang mga balingbing, hangol sa gahum, ambisyoso, corakots, tapulan, plastiks..etc....HOY GISING

[Wind Shear]

My goodnes! Kanang gasto sa protest rally, maypa ihatag na sa St. Bernard, Leyte, malipay pa sila!

[jnex]

Nuh..asa man na sila mohatag og tabang...ganahan man na sila makakita'g tawong nagkalisod, problema dinhi problema didto, reklamo diri reklamo didto....mao gud nay ilahang kusog...

[mannyamador]

Proclamation No. 1017 arbitrary, without factual and legal basis -- FLAG

BELOW is the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) statement denoucing Proclamation No. 1017
declaring a state of national emergency.

Statement on National Emergency

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) strongly condemns Proclamation 1017 declaring a
state of national emergency. Proclamation 1017 is a license given to the military and police to use
against whosoever they perceive to be enemies; it silences all forms of criticism, including media reporting.

Through Proclamation 1017, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has arrogated unto herself the power to
promulgate decrees, orders and regulations (last paragraph), not different, in effect, from
Amendment No. 6, which Marcos used to legislate:

“Whenever in the judgment of the President,
there exists a grave emergency or a threat or
imminence thereof, … he may, in order to meet the
emergency, issue the necessary decrees, orders or
letters of instructions, which shall form part of the
law of the land.”

In Proclamation 1017, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo alleges a “conspiracy” between “elements
in the political opposition,” “extreme left,” and “extreme right,” fueled by “certain segments of
the national media” to “bring down the duly constituted Government elected in May 2004.” (1st
and 3rd Whereas Clauses) All who are or may be identified as belonging to the political
opposition, extreme left, extreme right and the national media are targets.

Proclamation 1017 is arbitrary; it contains no clear directives, standards or guidelines; it
sets no time frame for the duration of the emergency. Even worse, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s
public announcement categorically cedes to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the
Philippine National Police the power to do whatever needs to be done as a consequence of
this Proclamation, without limit or accountability.

There is neither factual nor legal basis for the declaration of a national emergency. In her
public statement announcing Proclamation 1017, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself over nationwide
television announced that she was “in control” of the situation and that threats against her
government had already been neutralized and quelled. There is, therefore, no real emergency
to speak of. In addition, if all Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wants to do is to prosecute those who
violate the law, there are adequate laws and processes to investigate and prosecute them.

Proclamation 1017 cites two constitutional provisions as its legal basis: the commander-in-chief
provision (Art. VII, Sec. 1 and the emergency powers provision (Art. XII, Sec. 17).

Under Section 18, the only grounds to call out the Armed Forces are lawless violence,
invasion or rebellion; while the only grounds to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus, or to declare martial law are invasion or rebellion. Not one of these grounds exists. A
so-called “conspiracy to bring down” Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is not -- in and of itself --
lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.

While Art. XII, Sec. 17 allows the President to declare a state of national emergency (which
may include a "military national emergency"), the only power granted the State under this provision
is to "temporarily take over or direct the operation of any privately owned public utility or
business affected with public interest."This power may only be exercised during the emergency
and under reasonable terms.

By “saving democracy,” Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has just destroyed it. FLAG calls on
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to withdraw her Proclamation.

Quezon City, Philippines, 24 February 2006.

JOSE MANUEL I. DIOKNO
Chairman

[dzurits]

According to them Government has the right to shut down TVs and Radio Stations??. . . Hopefully this will not lead to martial law.