Dear friends of Akbayan,

Warmest greetings! From our series of recent mailings and from media, you must have, by now, learned about the situation in the Philippines. On 24 February 2006, President Gloria Arroyo issued Proclamation 1017 declaring a “state of national emergency” which, as has been implemented by the military and police, is tantamount to undeclared martial law or disguised martial law. Attacks on and prohibition of rallies and demonstrations, warrantless arrests of opposition figures and threats on and an actual raid on critical media have been brazenly carried out by the military and chief bureaucrats of Arroyo. To cover up massive corruption in her government and the illegitimacy of her regime as well as to stem the swelling tide of people calling for her to step down from the presidency, Arroyo seems ready to kill democracy and freedom in this country. We are worried that without considerable protest from within and outside the country, Arroyo and her lieutenants may feel more free to raise the level of repression and reproduce the monster that we had during the Marcos dictatorship to which our people have said NEVER AGAIN!

May we then appeal to you to send petitions and letters of concern to the Arroyo government, directly and through the Philippine diplomatic missions closest to you, demanding respect for the civil rights of the people as well as the immediate revocation / lifting of the proclamation of the state of emergency? May we also request that the issue be raised in your national parliament and government and also in the European Parliament so as to forewarn them of actual and potential violations of human rights under the ongoing “state of national emergency”? Reaching out to the media in your country and calling their attention and interest to the happenings here in the Philippines would also be of much help. Of course, we would welcome the use of other means at your disposal for expressing to the Philippine authorities your serious concern with the crtiical situation in our country.

Should you need more information, kindly contact me at this email address. Or should you need a personality for media interview, you will find below the mobile numbers of Akbayan’s representatives in Congress. Your media contacts may also request for additional materials on the situation through my email address.

Akbayan Representative Etta Rosales: Mobile nr +639189334356
Akbayan Representative Mario Aguja: Mobile nr +639178549633
Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel: Mobile nr +639175219472

Please find below a sample petition, a statement of concern and open letter which you or your organization can use as basis or guide for whatever letter of concern or petition you intend to write and send.

We know we could count on you in this hour of critical and urgent need for the survival of democracy and freedom in our country.

Thank you and all the best!

In peace and solidarity,

Sixto .

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H.E. GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

New Executive Building

Malacanang Palace Compound

J.P. Laurel St., San Miguel, Manila

564-1451 to 60 TL: 735-6201 to 10

THRU: EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary

Premier Guest House, Malacanang

735-5359; 736-1010 F

MICHAEL T. DEFENSOR

Presidential Chief of Staff

2/F Mabini Hall, Malacanang

736-4294; 734-5978 F

February 28, 2006

Madame President,

Greetings from (_________________) !

We, (_________________), condemn in the strongest possible terms the unwarranted issuance of Proclamation 1017 last February 24, 2006. With this singular act you have plunged the Philippines in a state of deep confusion and fear of grave abuse of power.

We have noted with deepest concern the events of the past days. First, the violent dispersal of peaceful demonstrators during the 20^th EDSA anniversary celebrations last February 24. Second, the questionable detention of academic Randy David and Akbayan President Ronald Llamas and the subsequent manhunt your administration has launched against alleged conspirator against your regime. Third, the raid of the Daily Tribune office and attempts at bullying other media outfits into self-censorship. All these, in the name of containing the national emergency that you have unilaterally declared.

Our Filipino counterparts have raised a host of legal issues related to Proclamation 1017. This is for Philippine courts and legal experts to resolve. What we, as human rights advocates, are most concerned with are the effects of Proclamation 1017 on Filipinos’ civil liberties. The Filipino people have fought hard for their freedom of assembly and expression. You have dealt a severe blow to these hard-earned freedoms.

We guarantee that will work hard to expose the abuses of your administration internationally. We will also lobby our own government to take actions that will be detrimental to the Philippine government and express our dismay with representatives of the Philippine government in our country.

Madame Arroyo, the world is watching you. Lift Proclamation 1017 immediately and unconditionally. Restore guarantees of civil liberties that are acceptable to the international community.

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Open letter to President Arroyo

President Macapagal-Arroyo
Malacanang Palace
Metro Manila, Philippines

Date..

Your excellency,

We are deeply concerned with your issuance of Proclamation 1017 on 24 February 2006 , which declared a national state of emergency in the Philippines. We note that this was accompanied by the violent dispersal of peaceful demonstrations on that day, the arrest without warrant of numerous opposition personalities e.g. academic Randy David, Akbayan President Ronald Llamas and two congressmen, including Crispen Beltran who was arrested based on a warrant issued in 1985!. This was followed by the raid of the Daily Tribune newspaper, the stationing of troops in front of TV and radio stations, and the threat to issue government editorial “guidelines” for media. These all threaten to jeopardize democratic advances of the last 20 years.

Your excellency, as human rights advocates, we are concerned about the possible negative effects of Proclamation 1017 on Filipinos’ civil liberties. We remember that President Marcos used an alleged coup plot as an excuse to declare martial law in 1972. It was only after many years of struggle that Filipinos were able to regain their freedom of expression, the right to assembly and other freedoms with the overthrow of the Marcos dictatorship in February 1986. It is ironic that they now have to fear losing these freedoms on the 20 th anniversary of their victory over Marcos.

Your excellency, we are one with the Filipino people in their struggle to preserve freedom, democracy and defend their human rights. We urge you to lift Proclamation 1017 immediately - stop arresting people without warrants and release those arrested, respect the freedom of the press, and restore to right to assembly. We are calling on the appropriate UN human rights bodies, international NGOs, churches and other civil society groups to be one with us in urging your government to immediately rescind Proclamation 1017.

Your excellency, we will inform our respective governments and the European Union of our concern about the curtailing of freedom, democratic rights and civil liberties in the Philippines. We will call on them to closely monitor developments in the Philippines and express their concern.

Sincerely Yours,

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Please furnish copy to:

Akbayan! Citizen’s Action Party

101 Matahimik Street
Teacher’s Village West
1101 Quezon City
Philippines

Tel. Nos. (02) 4336831/4336933 Fax: (02) 9252936

E-mail: sixto akbayan.org

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Letter from Sixto Carlos

March 2, 2006

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings! Upon the declaration of a state of national emergency by President Arroyo, various sectors of Philippine society within the country and abroad have expressed in manifold forms their condemnation of this new callous and brazen attempt to stifle the basic rights of our people. Once more, our people would like the world to know that we are not about to be cowed by a tyrant or a would-be tyrant who intends to kill democracy and freedom to cover up gross corruption and the illegitimacy of her regime.

Herewith we share with you a report from Bangkok where Filipino compatriots confronted the Philippine Ambassador in his office and tried to persuade him to join the anti-Arroyo movement. In so doing, we encourage our friends abroad, Filipinos and foreign friends, to send delegations to or organize pickets in front of the closest Philippine missions to demand the revocation of the declaration of the state of emergency and the resignation of President Arroyo. We encourage you to make use of every possible peaceful means to put across to the international community the Filipino peoples’ opposition to the Arroyo government and to her disguised martial law. Early this week, Akbayan issued a poster and a sticker showing a face (half Marcos, half Gloria) to put forward the message that on top of cheating in the elections and on top of massive corruption under her rule, Gloria is also a plagiarist for trying to copy Marcos and his martial rule. Let the world know that Gloria is a poor copycat of Marcos!

In this mailing, we are also passing on to you the statement on the state of emergency issued by LIKHAAN, an NGO which provides health services to urban poor communities especially to women and youth. Likhaan links with a considerable number of women’s and youth organizations in urban poor communities within and outside Metro Manila. Their statement reflects the anxieties but also the mood of defiance among NGOs and people’s organization throughout the country.

In peace and solidarity,

Sixto Carlos

International Secretary

Akbayan! Citizens Action Party

[The articles and statements mentioned here are posted on ESSF website]