Proclamation 1959

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I have been watching the news lately and yes, I scratched my head more often because of the proclamation of martial law in Maguindanao as well as the reasons stated for such action. I dont know which part of equation the government wanted to restore the order in Maguindanao but I bet they are just trying to fit a circle in a square peg. I bet that the government wanted us to learn this equation: MARTIAL LAW = EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT??

The reasons stated by Malacanang in the proclamation of Martial Law is the build-up of rebellious forces in Maguindanao and the justice system blah blah (is there really a justice system here in our country?!) is not functioning in that part of the Philippines. Another head scratching moment for me is to think that they are arresting and accusing their allies (we all know that the ruling family in Maguindanao and the Malacanang are close allies) as rebels lately.

I do not see any benefit for this Martial Law. The situation is already complicated, then it gets more hairy than a cat’s hairball.  Then again, where are the rebellious forces they are pointing at? I have heard in the news that there are 2,000 armed people rounding up in Maguindanao but we dont see any SIGNIFICANT evidence about that group. Or at least, a glimpse of their shadows. Perhaps, the government is shadowboxing on its own or just trying to fight a monster that they gave life to.

Maguindanao, as well as the rest of Mindanao have gone into troublesome times. There are even more worse times than this but no president ever declared Martial Law just to suffice as effective law enforcement and showing the teeth to their so-called enemies. In the earlier stages, the government has been criticized as handling the Maguindanao case with kid gloves, well, handling it this time with Martial Law is an unlikely solution. There are many questions surrounding Maguindanao like for example: where the heck did those stash of weapons came from? Who supplied them to the Ampatuans? Where are the 100 John Does who deliberately pulled the trigger against the 57 victims of the massacre? Why is it only the Ampatuan clan being round up as suspects?

Never ending questions. And to think that we pay for the salaries and expenses of these people, seeing those stash of weapons revealed, seeing that government backhoe being used to dug the graves of those people and seeing them rule like freaking kings and queens in the midst of squalor; hurts my eyes and hurts my pocket. Damn, is this where my taxes go? Leche, parang ayaw ko na ata mag-tax!

Poor Philippines. You are a rich country: rich in natural resources, rich in culture, rich in history and rich in potential talents among your people. Unfortunately, you are being run by incompetent individuals who suck on good governance but aces in corruption, stupid decision making and abusing the power of their offices. Hanggang kailan pa ba kaya ganito ang bansa natin?

For your reference, here is a copy of Proclamation 1959 (courtesy of GMAnews.tv):

(Text of martial law declaration as read by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita at 7 a.m. Saturday morning in Malacanang. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the proclamation on Friday evening.)

Proclamation 1959: Proclaiming a State of Martial Law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao except for certain areas.

Whereas, Proclamation No. 1946 was issued on 24 November 2009 declaring a state of emergency in the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and the City of Cotabato for the purpose of preventing and suppressing lawless violence in the aforesaid areas.

Whereas, Sec. 18 Art. VII of the Constitution provides that “in case of invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it, the President may, for a period not exceeding 60 days, suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.”

Whereas, Republic Act 6986 provides that “the crime of rebellion or insurrection is committed by rising publicly and taking arms against the government for the purpose of depriving the Chief Executive or the Legislature, wholly or partially, of any of their powers or
prerogatives.”

Whereas, heavily armed groups in the province of Maguindanao have established positions to resist government troops thereby depriving the Executive of its powers and prerogatives to enforce the laws of the land to maintain public order and safety.

Whereas, the condition of peace and order in the province of Maguindanao has deteriorated to the extent that local judicial system and other government mechanisms in the province are not functioning; thus, endangering public safety.

Whereas, the implementing operational guidelines of the GRP-MILF agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities dated 14 Nov. 1997 provides that the following is considered a prohibited hostile act: “establishment of checkpoints except those necessary for the GRP’s
enforcement and maintenance of peace and order and for the defense and security of the MILF in their identified areas as jointly determined by GRP and MILF.”

Now, therefore I, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and by law, do hereby proclaim as follows:

Sec. 1: There is hereby declared a state of martial law in the
province of Maguindanao except for the identified areas of the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front as referred to in the implementing
operational guidelines of the GRP-MILF agreement on the General
Cessation of Hostilities.

Sec. 2: The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall likewise be
suspended in the aforesaid area for the duration of the state of
martial law.

Done in the City of Manila this 4th day of December in the Year of Our
Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.

(Originally Signed)

Gloria M. Arroyo

By the President:

(Originally Signed)
Eduardo Ermita
Executive Secretary

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