“The enactment of Anti-Terrorism Bill, now called Human Security Act exemplifies both the fascist and anti-workers stance of the Arroyo government,” declares Anakpawis-SOCSKSARGEN spokesperson Edward J. Flores in reaction to Mrs. Arroyo’s approval of anti-terror bill yesterday.

Flores further added that the Human Security Act is a euphemism for a de facto martial law as it permits warrantless arrests, prolonged detention of a suspected “terrorists” even without a case filed against them and even prying on bank accounts of suspected “terrorist organizations”.

“More so, it will definitely be used against those who are vocal critics of the Arroyo administration specially militant and progressive organizations. And as long as there are organizations like ANAD which links us to CPP-NPA-NDF, which is in turn tagged by US and Arroyo administration as a “terrorist organization”, we will be more vulnerable to harassment, arrest, and assassination as already in the case of Renato “Ka Atong” Pacaide, Anakpawis-Davao Sur provincial coordinator and 833 more others killed since Mrs. Arroyo assumed office in 2001,” says Flores.

Flores also said that while the Mrs. Arroyo was hell-bent in pushing for this anti-people law, in subservience to the US, she’s barefacedly against the passage of HB 345 or Beltran bill which seeks a Php125 increase workers’ wages. Upon approval in the lower house in December 2006, the Arroyo administration through Rep. Boying Remulla blocked its transmittal to the Senate. “Despite the odds, we will still push for the immediate enactment of P125 wage hike bill inside and outside congress while we resolutely fight against the implementation of the anti-people Human Security Act,” Flores concludes.