Indigenous Peoples and Moro groups denounced the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 which they fear would put them into more danger as experienced in the past.
Our Fight is Not Yet Over: Mangahas na Ipaglaban at Kalayaang Ipahayag ang mga Karaingan para sa Serbisyo at Proteksyon sa Panahon ng Pandemya
HINDI PA TAPOS ang laban ng mamamayang Pilipino laban sa pasismo at terorismo ng estado na inihahasik ni Rodrigo Duterte kasapakat ang pulisya, militar at mga alyadong pulitiko na bumubuo sa super majority sa Kongreso. Nagdiriwang ang iilang makikinabang sa RA11749 o “Terror Law” habang nagpupuyos sa matindi galit ang malawak na hanay ng mamamayan.
Sinalubong ng mga protesta sa online at sa mga lansangan sa buong Pilipinas at ibayong dagat ang pagpirma ng pangulo sa nasabing batas.
Sadlak na sa paghihirap ang mamamayan ngunit mas inuna pa ng gobyerno ang “Terror Law” kaysa pakinggan ang mga panawagan para sa mga solusyong medikal at mga serbisyong pangkalusugan at pangkabuhayan na higit na mas mahalaga kaysa sa pagpapatahimik sa mga kritiko. Nahihibang at desperado na ang mga heneral sa gabinete na sya ring bumubuo sa IATF at NTF-ELCAC na patahimikin at busalan ang umuugong na mga kritisismo at protesta sa mga kapalpalakan sa pagsugpo sa COVID19.
Sa hanay naman ng mga migrante ay nagpapatuloy ang nakakalunos at hindi makataong pagtrato sa kanila ng DOLE at iba pang mga ahensya, dulot ito ng palpak at walang sistemang mga programang lubusang humahagupit sa mga OFW. Sa ganitong klaseng mga polisiya kalakip ang ligalig at kawalang kasiguruhan ay iniluluwal ang paglaban, walang pagpipilian ang mga bagong bayani kundi ang magsalita at magprotesta sa online man o sa mga lansangan sa iba’t-ibang panig ng daigdig. Imbes na pakinggan at aksyunan ang mga lehitimong hinaing at saloobin ay aakusahan pa na nagsisinungaling ang mga migrante.
Sa bisa ng bagong Terror Law, ang mga lehitimong panawagan ng ating mga kapatid na OFW sa social media para sa mapayapang mga pagkilos at pag-oorganisa ay madali na lang tawaging terorismo ng Anti-Terrorism Council. Ang mga probisyong ito sa Terror Law ay nagbabalewala sa mga civil at political rights na nakasaad sa ating Saligang Batas. Mas mabagsik pa sa Martial Law ang Terror Law ni Duterte.
Hindi kailanman bubuti ang sitwasyon ng mamamayang Pilipino sa pamumuno ng tuta, pasista, at utak pulburang si Duterte. Katulad ng karanasan nating mga migrante, hindi matutugunan ang ating kalusugan, kabuhayan, at karapatan kung hindi tayo magsasama-sama at magsasalita laban sa lantarang abusong ito.
Nanawagan ang mga migranteng Pilipino at pamilya na buong lakas na ibasura ang Terror Law! Matapang na harapin, isanib ang lakas, at mahigpit na makipagkapit-bisig sa nakikibakang sambayanang Pilipino.###
HINDI PA TAPOS ANG LABAN!
#JunkTerrorLaw
#DiPagagapi
#OustDuterteNow
Nagkakaisang Pilipino sa Pransya-Les Philippin.es Uni.es en Franc
The post Our Fight is Not Yet Over: Mangahas na Ipaglaban at Kalayaang Ipahayag ang mga Karaingan para sa Serbisyo at Proteksyon sa Panahon ng Pandemya appeared first on Migrante Europe.
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The post More than 3,500 people have died without being tested for COVID-19 – Galvez appeared first on Manila Today.
Groups protest signing of ‘Terror Law’
“The Anti-Terror Act of 2020 tramples on our basic human rights and it is unconstitutional. It does not provide us safeguards and protection from terrorism. If anything, it is the very tool that creates all-out terror among the people.”
By MENCHANI TILENDO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – More than a thousand protesters trooped to UP Diliman University Avenue a day after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Anti-Terror Act of 2020.
Refusing to be terrorized by the dangerous provisions in the Republic Act. No. 11479, activists from various sectors pointed out that “the real terrorists” are Duterte, his Cabinet members, and the authors of the bill.
Among those who joined were members of progressive groups who experienced first-hand what they described as “the Duterte virus, which has been wreaking havoc on the lives of the Filipino people.”
Elmer Cordero, 72, said in Filipino, “The Anti-Terror Law should be junked. In the middle of the pandemic, the government’s misplaced priorities have hit hardest the poorest of the poor like us. Even before this law was passed, ordinary citizens like us have already experienced full-blown police brutality as we were treated like criminals when we were only fighting for our livelihood.”
Cordero is one of six members of transport group Piston who were arrested by policemen on June 2 while they were protesting for the resumption of their operations during the general community quarantine. They were detained in a cramped cell for almost a week.
“We should continue to fight while we are still alive, we can’t back down now,” Cordero said.
Members of the LGBT rights group Bahaghari also joined the protest. Some of their members were among the 20 who were arrested and detained by police last June 26 during the Pride March in Manila.
Kalvin Morales, 23, recounted the incident, “I saw how our other members were dragged by the police into the police mobile. Despite our peaceful protest and proper social distancing, we were violently interrupted and dispersed.”
“Since that incident, my advocacy for LGBT rights just became stronger,” Morales told Bulatlat.
With the passage of the Anti-Terror Law, Morales and his fellow LGBT activists are even more resolved to strengthen the fight against discrimination and against all forms of state oppression. “We should not cower in fear, and we should all the more continue to fight.”
Former Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, meanwhile, maintained that Duterte signed the bill into law because he is “afraid of the people’s wrath.”
Casilao said the people’s anger intensified due to the Duterte administration’s ineptitude and incompetence in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.
Casilao is still facing charges of inciting to sedition. He and six other relief volunteers were arrested in Norzagaray, Bulacan on April 19. They were released after posting bail amounting to P40,000 each.
Casilao said the new law will further criminalize dissent, including the long-time struggles of the farmers and fisherfolk for their right to land and livelihood.
For her part, Mae Paner, also known for her satirical performances, said that government should take criticisms positively. “The role of the artist is to criticize. I am an artist. I am not a terrorist,” she said.
Heightened state terror
Ma. Kristina Conti of Concerned Lawyers for Civil Liberties agreed that the new law will be used against political dissenters.
“Duterte’s Anti-Terrorism Council will be the one to determine who will be tagged as terrorists and what constitutes terrorist acts,” Conti said.
In particular, Conti said Sections 4-8 of the Anti-Terror Act of 2020 are the “most problematic.”
“I am encouraging you all to look into the terms used in the Anti-Terror Act of 2020. ‘Public safety’, ‘public emergency’, ‘serious danger’, and other related terms are very, very dangerous. The primary challenge to this law is its vagueness, and then being ‘overbroad,’” Conti said.
She added that under the Anti-Terror Law, a suspected terrorist is no different from “proven terrorists.”
Conti also said that government can now access all information of any suspected terrorist as surveillance has become legal under the law.
One of the protesters, Lina Macaurog, 50, considers herself “a candidate.” She is a Martial Law survivor, a member of SELDA (Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto) and a Muslim.
“We may not be terrorists but we are well-aware of the intent of the law, that is why we continue to resist this. President Duterte has long been treating Moro people as terrorists,” Macaurog told Bulatlat in an interview.
“The Anti-Terror Act of 2020 tramples on our basic human rights and it is unconstitutional. It does not provide us safeguards and protection from terrorism. If anything, it is the very tool that creates all-out terror among the people,” Macaurog said.
The post Groups protest signing of ‘Terror Law’ appeared first on Bulatlat.