Sunday, February 26, 2006

Ka Satur's message for Feb 25 mass in La Salle Greenhills

Ka Satur has eluded arrest this morning and is currently in hiding.

The following message was read by Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca Jr, chairman of Bayan Muna, at a vigil and solidarity gathering held tonight, Feb. 25,2006, at the La Salle Greenhills chapel

MESSAGE FROM SATUR OCAMPO

President and Partylist Representative, Bayan MunaDeputy Minority Leader, House of Representatives
Feb. 25, 2006

Much as I would like to be with you tonight, the developments within the last 24 hours, especially the attempted forcible abduction against me this morning, has constrained me from exposing myself in public, lest I succumb to the dangers posed by the rampaging monster that is the Arroyo regime.

Indeed, my colleagues from the Independent Bloc of progressive partylist organizations and myself are faced with grave danger after Mrs. Arroyo's declaration of a state of national emergency. Between 8 to 8:30 this morning, Anakpawis Partylist Representative Crispin Beltran was forcibly abducted on his way to a House Minority pressconference and arbitrarily detained at Camp Crame for "questioning."The absurd basis for the illegal police action was a two decade-old trumped-up case filed against him by the Marcos dictatorship in 1985.

A few hours later, emerging from the said press conference at SuloHotel, I was almost abducted by at least three police agents in civilian clothing with their guns drawn - one had a high powered rifle and the other two were armed with automatic pistols - who blocked my vehicle in front of the Hotel in full view of the media. Luckily, Iwas riding a different car so they ended up arresting my driver and aide.

I was one of the longest-held political prisoners during martial law. I do not particularly mind being arrested for my political beliefs. The problem is when the arrest is made arbitrarily and without dueprocess, like the attempted arrest this morning where the authorities did not even have the decency to formally serve a warrant of arrest. Instead, they resorted to the martial-law tactic of blocking my vehicle and threateningly waving their firearms like I was some fugitive of the law. Who knows what could have happened had I been in that vehicle? Remember, more than 80 of Bayan Muna's leaders have been summarily executed since Mrs. Arroyo took power in 2001.

Friends and comrades in arms, what happened yesterday and this morningcannot be taken lightly. The declaration of a state of nationalemergency is not only patently illegal; it is also aimed at suppressing the civil liberties and political rights of our people. How else can we explain the bellicose pronouncements from Malacañang,the blanket ban on rallies and demonstrations, the violent dispersal of our peaceful assemblies, the closure and harrassment of critical media outlets, and the arbitrary and illegal arrest of opposition figures?

Mrs. Arroyo's true colors have emerged. Her regime is nothing but a fascist dictatorship in the works.I therefore appeal to you, on this 20th anniversary of the ouster of the Marcos dictatorship, to hold fast to our hard-earned rights and liberties. Let us not be cowed by the Arroyo regime's fascist tricks. Never again should martial rule destroy our country.

More than this, we should continually press for Mrs. Arroyo's removal from office. Only her removal will prevent the setting up of another dictatorship that is more brutal and more corrupt. Together, let us struggle for a just, sovereign and democratic Philippines.

Makibaka, huwag matakot!
Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino

2 Comments:

At 1:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ang mensahing ito ay isang halimbawa ng pagkukulang ng oposisyon - puro pahayag ng kabalbalan ni Gloria na alam na nating lahat.

Naparaming pahalag, napakaraming panawagan sa taong bayan, ngunit kulang, kung hindi walang kongkretong paliwanag kung ano ang dapat gawain.

Makibaka, okay, makibaka. Sa anong paraan? Rally? Okay rally. E kong salubungin ng pangabuso ng lakas, ano ang dapat gawain?

Papano aabante ang paglaban kung wala namang mahusay at hustong pinagisipan na plano? Puro na lang, hinuli ako, tinakot ako, kawawa naman ako. Ganyan o ganito ginawa ni Gloria. Kawawa naman tayo!

Ito ang tanong na dapat sagutin: Sino ang taong sinusonud ng oposisyon? Meron bang matatawag na respitadong lider ang oposisyon - isang tao o isang grupo na nakapag-iisa ng layunin at gawa? WALA!

Harapin natin ang katotohanan. Hangat wala, wala ring mangyayari!

 
At 4:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Arroyo is the problem, yet is being taken advantage but more potential problems.

Generally, politicians are pain in the arse, whether they belong to the administration or the opposition.

Mamatay na silang lahat.

 

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