“Duterte’s martial law no different from Marcos’ ” – group to Roque
Manila, Philippines – Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Friday has earned the ire of the militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) for sugar-coating the one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao and its possible nationwide declaration. Roque said yesterday that “there would be no return of a dictatorial government” and human rights violations will not be repeated under President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law.
PAMALAKAYA said Harry Roque is only deodorizing the extension of Mindanao martial law to mind-condition the Filipino people on the possible declaration of a nationwide martial rule.
“Martial law is martial law; no matter how they sugarcoat it, it is still the same Marcos-military rule that suppressed the civil and liberty rights of the Filipino people, and paved the way to a blatant plunder of public coffers,”
“The Presidential spokesman is deodorizing the Mindanao martial law in order to make it appear acceptable to the people and to prepare the public for a nationwide authoritarian rule; something that the Filipino people will not let happen!” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA Chairperson said in a statement.
The group said that with the police and military’s long record of human rights violations against civilians, a “martial law na may puso” that President Duterte has been promulgating is irrefutably improbable.
“The state forces are abusive by default; there can never be a “martial law with a heart” when the human rights violators are the security forces themselves, and much more that their commander-in-chief is a mad man, bloodlust, and war monger President,”
“We will strengthen our unity and resistance to overthrow the dictator Duterte together with his minions like Harry Roque,” ###
