Why I said ‘NO’ to House Bill 4839
At whatever angle you look
at it, House Bill 4839 or the Anti-terrorism Bill, is patently atrocious and
defiant of all recognized statutes—every existing law, and no less than the
Constitution itself.
The Bill will invalidate
whatever gains we’ve made throughout history—the relative freedoms we now
enjoy, attained through countless blood spilled by our forebears and modern-day
martyrs who have fought and continue to struggle against tyranny and
oppression.
Defining terrorism would be
the same as calculating infinity. The bill’s definition illustrates the
whimsical, if not farcical, nature of the bill—encompassing even the most
natural of all human acts and functions. Perhaps by deliberately raising my
voice to stress my point, I would jolt my colleague from their comfortable
seats, and in the process strike panic and fear in their hearts. Would I then
be guilty of committing terrorism? Or if a movie house was to feature a horror
flick that would most certainly cause fear to a segment of the general public,
would its proprietor be liable under this bill?
To even proclaim that this
Bill is intended to preserve peace and security is like burning the house down
to prevent the arsonist from doing it himself. We valiantly venture out on a
quest, only to become the very same dragons we purportedly sought out to slay.
The bill claims to protect human rights but does exactly the opposite. In the
end, this Chamber is putting across the message that we are not here to
practice democracy, but merely preserve it.
The 13th Congress
has been publicly identified as a rubberstamp of Malacañang—a notoriety it
gained during deliberations on Arroyo’s tax measures and the clobbered
impeachment proceedings. Taken in the context of the crisis in leadership
experienced by the current occupant in Malacañang, the public is inclined to
view the passage of Anti-terrorism law as a way to shield the beleaguered
President from her critics.
Considering its current
tendency to implement repressive measures, an anti-terror bill at this point
would be the pinnacle of despotism of the Arroyo regime. The law will transform
the whole nation into a police state. It is Proclamation 1017 institutionalized
and stripped-off its pretensions. Intended to quell public dissension against
an illegitimate President, the anti-terror bill becomes a self-interest bill
that should be fervently opposed.
That the bill is eerily
silent on State terrorism exposes its real objective of targeting and
preempting the government’s legitimate and legal political opponents. It does
not condemn or penalize the mass bombings of civilian communities by the AFP in
Mindanao
and in the countryside, despite easily fitting the
description of terrorist acts. It does not preclude political harassments,
abductions, and killings of activists but actually justifies and legalizes
their commission.
Approving this bill is
ultimately pandering to the whims of the
US
in its objective of consolidating its global
politico-military position. The
US
has been eagerly pushing for the enactment of this
bill not only in the
Philippines
but in other countries as well. It would surely be
in the interest of the Arroyo regime to preserve
US
favor in its moment of irredeemable crisis.
Mr. Speaker, I vote NO to
House Bill 4839.
(I articulated this piece during the voting of HB 4839. It should be noted however, that I’m not alone in this struggle. Bayan Muna, since 12th Congress, has consistently stood against the passage of Anti-terrorism Bill. In fact , all members of the Batasan 5 has voted no to the proposed notorious law.)
May 12th, 2006 at 6:17 am
hallow po.. si neah po ito…
hehe,
mabuhay kayo