Max Lane
"This is similar to when martial law was implemented more than 30 years ago", said 70-year-old Professor Francisco Nemenzo, outgoing President of the University of the Philippines and convener of the left coalition Laban ng Masa. Nemenzo was one of the many injured when police attacked a Laban ng Masa demonstration protesting tax increases on October 6 in Manila.
A number of protesters were seriously injured and had to be taken to hospital. Others were arrested and taken to an army camp outside Manila. Some were later released but more than 20 remained in detention. As well as Nemenzo, those injured included Workers Party member of Congress Renato Magtubo and secretary-general Judy Ann Chan-Miranda, Sanlakas president Wilson Fortaleza, Filipino Workers Solidarity (BMP) general secretary Leody de Guzman and other BMP leaders, members of Akbayan and Manny Queitson of Fortune Tobacco Labor Union. Many suffered head injuries. Police, with badges removed, attacked the protesters with the edges of their shields.
The attacks were part of a deliberate escalation of repressive measures aimed at any steps or processes that could revive a "people's power" threat to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Arroyo's supporters in the Congress recently succeeded in blocking an impeachment move against her. This immediately led to widespread calls, including from conservative anti-Arroyo politicians, such as former president Cory Aquino, as well as the popular movements, for a revival of the movement to demand Arroyo's resignation. In response, Arroyo issued an Executive Order 464 for a "Calibrated Preventative Response". This order effectively allowed the banning of demonstrations and the use of force to disperse them.
Ronald Llamas, president of AKBAYAN (which is a member party of the Laban ng Masa alliance) was quoted in the media as saying: "Enough is enough! We are calling on Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to vacate the palace without delays. Our collective suffering as a people is aggravated with every passing day of her sham rule.
"Arroyo likes to portray herself as a victim of a failed system. This is her way of washing her hands of any wrong-doings, when, in fact, she has single-handedly managed to drag all our democratic gains down the drain. The sanctity of the ballot, the equality of the three branches of government, our freedom of speech and assembly — [Arroyo] has trampled on all of these. And for that, she must pay the price. Our demand is unconditional: Gloria resign!"
From Green Left Weekly, October 12, 2005.
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