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Monday, February 27, 2006
Rama: A state of national relapse?
By Karlon N. Rama
Stage five
UNTIL further notice, all firearm-related sports activities nationwide are on ice to give the president time to chase shadows.
While Presidential Proclamation 1017 does not make mention of a gun ban, a separate memorandum "temporarily canceling" all firearm carry and transport permits nationwide has reportedly been issued.
Reached via his mobile phone, Sec. Cerge Remonde of the Government Media Group said PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao issued the memorandum.
Our attempts to secure a copy of the memo-which, according to Supt. Rey Lawas of the Firearms Explosives and Security Agencies and Guards Supervisory Section, came out Friday afternoon-went nowhere.
Perhaps one will be made available as government work resumes today.
Déjà vu notwithstanding, the developments now should bring to our minds two administrative measures - Proclamation 1081 and General Order No.6 - enacted 33 years ago.
The famous Marcos Proclamation 1081 placed the country under Martial Law from 1972 to 1981, while GO No. 6 took out whatever means the people then had to protect their freedoms by directing that no person is to "keep, possess or carry" firearms.
The two statutes further resulted in the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 9 that prescribes punishment for simple gun possession from imprisonment for 20 years to "the mandatory penalty of death by a firing squad or electrocution."
PROCLAMATION 1017. I watched from the Sun.Star Cebu newsroom as Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor announced the issuance of Presidential Proclamation 1017 in a press conference aired live over ABS-CBN's cable channel, ANC, Friday afternoon.
And even before the broadcast ended, a lot of gun club people began calling - Kamagong Gun Club's Allan Osorio gets the grand prize for having the quickest fingers - with questions that I shared and answers that I didn't have. Are we under martial law?
Proclamation 1017 merely commands the Armed Forces of the Philippines "to maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence, as well any act of insurrection or rebellion, and to enforce obedience to all the laws and to all decrees, orders and regulations."
It cites how "elements in the political opposition" have allegedly conspired with the "authoritarians of the extreme left" and the "extreme right represented by military adventurists" and is now attempting to "bring down the duly constituted government."
Defensor, during the press conference, said Martial Law, as defined in the 1987 Constitution, is definitely not being imposed.
But rallies are now banned, warrantless arrests are now allowed, and the military, under orders of the President, may now intervene and take over facilities - including media outlets - that may affect national security.
Moreover, there is now a nationwide gun ban.
And, past midnight last Saturday, members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) trooped to the Daily Tribune newsroom at the Manila Port Area and seized copies of their Saturday issue.
All dictatorships have two things in common: They disallow citizens from owning and bearing arms and impose controls on the press.
WE GOT MAIL. Celso M. Cabahug (CMCabahug@petron.com) wrote to say that he agreed with our review on the new polymer pistol models being manufactured by Armscor.
I encourage all of you out there to write reviews of your favorite handguns and I'll try to run as much as I can in the small space that the paper graciously grants us.
Next week, we'll try to answer some questions that Mr. Fred Medina (fdmedina@gmail.com) sent us.
(knrama@gmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 27, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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