‘Calibrated preemptive response’ a la martial law

The labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU – May 1^st Movement) likened the Arroyo government’s “calibrated preemptive response” to the Marcos dictatorship’s “maximum tolerance” in dealing with mass protests.

In a Sept. 22 statement, KMU said the new Arroyo policy, announced by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, shows government’s “fascist character.” Ermita, the KMU also said, is one of the reasons why militarization and political repression continue to intensify nationwide.

KMU, which has been in the forefront of the struggle to pressure Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign the presidency, also condemned the violent dispersal of protesters at Welcome Rotonda, Quezon City on Sept. 21 marking the 33^rd declaration of martial law.

If the violent dispersal of rallies at Welcome Rotonda was the start of Ermita’s calibrated preemptive response, “such policy is certain to fail” since “with or without permit, police forces must respect the democratic rights of freedom of speech and assembly,” KMU said. Bulatlat

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Progressive congressman questions envoys’ housing budget

The Department of Foreign Affairs’ proposed P5.29 billion budget for 2006, with 80 percent earmarked for consular and diplomatic services including the expenses for embassies and offices of the consulates general, has been described by a progressive congressman as “shocking.”

Crispin Beltran of the party-list Anakpawis (toiling masses) last week revealed that the foreign secretary’s allocations for the repair and purchase of land for the residencies of Philippine consuls and ambassadors increased by 33.16 percent, from P188.53 million in 2005 to 251.06 million in 2006.

He cited reports by Migrante International that the Philippines’ consul general in New York, Cecilia Rebong, spend US$10,000 or P550,000 every month for the suite at the world-renowned Trump Plaza in Manhattan. Ambassador to the Italy Philippe Lhuillier reportedly spends US$10,000 to $12,000 for a rented house in Rome and Corazon Belmonte, consul general in Hong Kong, spends HK$1.5 million for her house, he said.

Beltran will file a resolution questioning the foreign affairs officials’ housing expenses and calling on the Commission on Audit to look into the matter. Bulatlat

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‘DLR hypocritical in acquiring lands’

The farmers’ alliance Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) assailed Sept. 21 the “hypocrisy” of the Department of Land Reform (DLR) in telling its field officers to defy lower court decisions in acquiring land supposedly for land reform.

KMP secretary general Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos said that, to the contrary, it is the DLR itself, along with the regular courts, that has reversed decisions favorable to the farmers. He cited the cases of the 311-hectare Araneta land in Tungkong Mangga, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan and the controversial 8,653-hectare Hacienda Looc in Nasugbu, Batangas as “legalized land-grabbing perpetrated by the DLR itself.”

“The farmers in these lands already have their certificates of land ownership awards (CLOA), but the DLR, to give way to the interest of big landlords and corporations, canceled these,” Ramos said. Bulatlat

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Sto.Tomas - ‘denial  queen’

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas has been called again as “denial queen” in connection with her latest statement downgrading the number of labor strikes.

Elmer Labog, chair of Kilusang Mayo Uno (May 1^st Movement), Sept. 20 also called Sto. Tomas as the “Assumption of Jurisdiction queen” who should be blamed for the violence – including massacres – taking place in picket lines.

Citing the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), Labog said 94,203 workers from 400 commercial establishments have filed notices of strike (NoS) for the past nine months. He also added that there was also a nine percent increase of those involved in labor disputes while full-blown strikes rose to 41 percent from the 17 strikes to 24 work stoppages in the same period.

Labog scored Sto. Tomas' statement that only 70 percent of the NoS became full-blown strikes, adding that government’s conciliation and mediation policy has been used as a pretext "to sow fear" in the labor front. Bulatlat

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