Friday, November 30, 2007 Arroyo told not to declare state of emergency By Rimaliza Opiña
PEOPLE'S organizations in Baguio City called on the government and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to be cautious in issuing orders that might curtail the rights of ordinary citizens again.
Issuances similar to the calibrated pre-emptive response (CPR) and Proclamation 1017 should not be issued again because this might result in panic among citizens, said Beverly Longid of the Dinteg indigenous people’s law center.
At noon Thursday, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Army Brigadier General Danilo Lim and 10 other soldiers from the Magdalo group walked out during their court hearing before they proceeded to the Manila Peninsula Hotel and demanded for the President to step down from her post.
Longid said declaring a state of emergency might agitate the people and could result to panic.
Shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, Trillanes surrendered to authorities claiming he does not want anyone, including members of the media, to be harmed as a result of their actions.
At 7 p.m., Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno announced a one-day curfew in Region 3, the National Capital Region and Southern Luzon from 12 midnight of November 30 until 5 a.m. the same day.
After Arroyo issued Proclamation 1017 or the declaration of a state of emergency several months ago, some sectors including a group of lawyers and activists here said the proclamation is “undeclared martial law.”
This is because the proclamation does not contain the guidelines, the standards and time frames for the duration of a state of emergency, the local chapter of the Free Legal Assistance Group (Flag) explained then.
It was also alleged that by issuing Proclamation 1017, the President arrogated unto herself the power to promulgate decrees, orders and regulations not different to the proclamation to declare Martial Law by ousted President Ferdinand Marcos.
