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Sunday, February 26, 2006
Gov't cracks down on opposition, media
* Congressman Beltran, former Constabulary chief Montaño apprehended
* Police raid office of newspapers
* Journalists close ranks v. Proclamation 1017
THE Arroyo administration on Saturday launched a drive against the opposition by arresting two critics and raiding the office of a newspaper critical of the government.
The moves were in relation of Proclamation 1017, which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued last Friday, placing the entire country under a state of emergency following an aborted coup.
Anakpawis party-list Representative Crispin Beltran was picked up by elements of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Beltran's arrest was the first apprehension of an opposition legislator. Reports said Beltran was picked up on the strength of a warrant issued in relation to a sedition case filed against him in 1985 yet.
The congressman, along with a bodyguard, wife, and two other companions, were flagged down in Bulacan by soldiers led by a certain Major Rene Corpuz and are now in Camp Crame for questioning by the CIDG.
Beltran's colleagues in the House questioned his arrest and the timing saying why was it done only now.
Pateros-Taguig Representative Alan Peter Cayetano urged House Speaker Jose de Venecia to condemn the alleged harassment being pressed against members of the Lower House.
If de Venecia could easily defend President Arroyo every time she gets "hit" by her critics, Cayetano said the more the House Speaker should intercede with the matter where a member of the Lower House, which he leads, is being harassed.
Other opposition congressmen, including Representatives Francis Escudero, Teddy Casiño, Roilo Golez, Rolex Suplico, Liza Maza, Rafael Mariano, Gilbert Remulla, Joel Villanueva, Etta Rosales, Rosa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Ma. Imelda "Imee" Marcos and Ronaldo Zamora, also denounced the arrest.
Anakpawis officers urged de Venecia to intercede with the arrest of Beltran.
Beltran's acting chief-of-staff Ofelia Balleta called on de Venecia to "uphold the integrity of the House of Representatives and of the 1987 Constitution which gives its members immunity from any arrest while Congress is in session."
Balleta condemned the "illegal arrest" of Beltran, saying the move was a "blatant act of unbridle harassment of progressive party-list congressman." "This is political repression of the highest degree. It is no different, and perhaps even worse than, the political repression that prevailed during Martial Law," she said.
She also expressed apprehensions over Beltran's state of health while being "invited for questioning" by CIDG officials, fearing any untoward physical harassment or psychological stress that might cause the 73-year-old lawmaker's blood pressure to shoot up.
De Venecia, for his part, asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to coordinate with the Lower House in case there are arrests to be made on members of the Lower Chamber. He said the House would voluntarily provide counsel for those congressmen who would face arrest.
After the arrest of Beltran, some CIDG operatives went to the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City allegedly to pick up another militant lawmaker, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Satur Ocampo, who was then holding a press conference with the entire minority bloc contingent.
Ocampo evaded arrest by taking other hotel exits and thereafter boarded other vehicles. His two security personnel were however arrested by the police.
At 2 p.m. Saturday, former Constabulary chief, retired general Ramon Montaño, was also picked up for questioning by the police while playing golf in Cavite.
Reports said Montaño, a vocal critic of the Arroyo administration, was told he was being invited by PNP Chief Arturo Lomibao to Camp Crame to be investigated for alleged involvement in the aborted coup last Friday.
The retired general said the arrest was illegal because the CIDG team was unarmed with warrant during the incident.
President Arroyo, during her declaration of a state of national emergency, threatened that those who had conspired to destabilize the government would be arrested.
Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor said they have identified eight to 10 persons involved in an aborted plot last Friday. He however refused to name the "destabilizers" pending their arrest.
The military restricts Brigadier General Danilo Lim of the Philippine Army (PA) in Fort Bonifacio, Makati City for "allegedly attempting to lead a group of soldiers who would participate in an anti-government protest to be held during the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of People Power 1 last Friday."
Lim, who had announced his withdrawal of support to Arroyo, is being investigated for his alleged participation in the plot against the President.
Meanwhile, police raided The Daily Tribune office in Port Area, Manila, past midnight Saturday and seized several copies of its Saturday issue that were about to be dispatched nationwide.
Niñez Cacho Olivares, publisher of The Daily Tribune, decried the act saying that the police conducted the raid without a warrant. She also said they will file a case.
"What's this martial law? Does the state of national emergency allow the policemen of (President) Arroyo to just confiscate anything they please?" Olivares said in a television interview.
Arroyo, in issuing Proclamation 1017, also warned the media against irresponsible reporting. She said the media should not be "publishing rumors and baseless information."
Olivares said she was told by a staffer that police had asked where the paper's dispatching units can be found. She also said The Daily Tribune's Saturday issue had no report promoting the cause of Arroyo's political foes.
Aside from The Daily Tribune's office, CIDG operatives also attempted to raid the office of Abante, a tabloid, also situated in Port Area, Manila, and offices of Malaya but the policemen withdrew when they noticed several crew of two television stations in the area.
Journalists in the country have expressed concern over a raid of The Daily Tribune's office.
Media practitioners have rallied behind The Daily Tribune, which had been the subject of the "first attack" against freedom of the press.
Text messages were passed around among members of the media urging them to keep vigilant and protect the freedom of the press. Words of support coming from colleagues in the industry were also pouring in for the editorial staff of The Daily Tribune, Abante and Malaya.
Marites Danguilan-Vitug, editor of Newsbreak Magazine, feared that they might suffer the same fate that The Daily Tribune had experienced. "We view the raid on Tribune, an opposition newspaper, with alarm. It appears to signal the start of a crackdown on media organizations. We have always believed that repression is never the answer to a critical press," she said.
Vitug reminded authorities that a free press is a cornerstone of a democracy and without it, "we cannot claim to be a democratic country."
"Twenty years ago, we regained our freedom of the press. Today, we stand the risk of losing it. It is ironic that on the day we celebrate People Power, a glorious and festive moment in our history, we are reminded that our freedoms are fragile. They can easily be taken away," she added.
Vergel Santos of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) likened the incident that happened to The Daily Tribune to the early days of Martial Rule. Santos said media organizations should band together and oppose the proclamation or any attempt that would curb the freedom of the press.
Also, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) said it is about time that journalists must take a stand regarding the issue.
Carlos Conde of NUJP feared that the situation might worsen had not media would not take any stand on the matter. "This is going to get worse. We are worried and concerned about the implications of this proclamation on press freedom," he said.
Conde said the government did the raid to "intimidate" and "send a signal" to other media organizations to be careful not to displease Malacañang.
Senator Rodolfo Biazon also criticized the raid of The Daily Tribune saying "This is suppression of the freedom of the press."
Meanwhile, Cabiner Secretary Ricardo Saludo warned broadcast companies against airing "seditious" interviews
At the weekly "Kapihan sa Sulo" forum Saturday, Saludo clarified that the government is not suppressing freedom of speech but only wants that the media "would not be used destabilizers of the government".
Saludo also pointed out that media "should not allow anybody to use their television or radio facilities and access in promoting their seditious acts". (JFF/DBP/JPM/Sunnex)
(February 26, 2006 issue)
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