Submitted by KMU on Wed, 2007/02/07 - 1:13pm.
Pass the Barinaga-Beltran Bill, workers urge Senate
Workers once again asked the Senate to immediately approve the Barinaga-Beltran Bill and ditch the Anti-terror Bill proposed by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. “The Senate should get their act straight and approve the Barinaga-Beltran Bill (HB 345). The HB 345 was already recommended by the Senate Labor Committee and the whole body should deliberate, stamped it approve and transmit it to Malacañang. Stop wasting precious time and taxpayer’s money,” said Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, National Chairperson of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center.
“Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo clearly wants the anti-terror bill approved ahead of an international human rights team arriving in the country to investigate the ongoing killings of activists and journalists. The approval of the anti-terror bill under the auspices of the Arroyo regime can only mean an accelerating number of human rights abuse. Even without any anti-terror legislation, the military and the police have been tagged as culprits to the rising number murders, abductions, forced disappearances, and other human rights violations. What more with an anti-terror law,” opined Labog.
Labog also noted that the author of the anti-terror bill was the hatchet man during Martial Law. “Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a political dinosaur which comes directly from the Martial Law era is more than willing to push the bill because it suits his fascist agenda. He is dancing a ‘tango of terror’ with an equally fascist Arroyo,” stated Labog.
“Many provisions of the bill are already ‘standard operating procedures’ (SOP’s) being illegally done by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) like prolonged detention without charges. Rep. Crispin Beltran, KMU Chairperson Emeritus is a prime example of this, who remains detained despite being arrested without warrant,” said Labog. “Even terrorist labeling of legitimate organizations like Anakpawis Partylist, Bayan Muna and other progressive organizations is part of their propaganda to prepare the ground for physical attacks on activists and journalists.” The labor leader also mentioned the “Hello Garci” scandal which was a product of eavesdropping operation by the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) during the Arroyo poll rigging operations in 2004.
Since Arroyo assumed presidency in 2001, 86 unionist and labor advocates have been killed and justice remains elusive for the victims and their survivors.
Workers once again asked the Senate to immediately approve the Barinaga-Beltran Bill and ditch the Anti-terror Bill proposed by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. “The Senate should get their act straight and approve the Barinaga-Beltran Bill (HB 345). The HB 345 was already recommended by the Senate Labor Committee and the whole body should deliberate, stamped it approve and transmit it to Malacañang. Stop wasting precious time and taxpayer’s money,” said Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog, National Chairperson of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Labor Center. “Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo clearly wants the anti-terror bill approved ahead of an international human rights team arriving in the country to investigate the ongoing killings of activists and journalists. The approval of the anti-terror bill under the auspices of the Arroyo regime can only mean an accelerating number of human rights abuse. Even without any anti-terror legislation, the military and the police have been tagged as culprits to the rising number murders, abductions, forced disappearances, and other human rights violations. What more with an anti-terror law,” opined Labog.
Labog also noted that the author of the anti-terror bill was the hatchet man during Martial Law. “Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, a political dinosaur which comes directly from the Martial Law era is more than willing to push the bill because it suits his fascist agenda. He is dancing a ‘tango of terror’ with an equally fascist Arroyo,” stated Labog.
“Many provisions of the bill are already ‘standard operating procedures’ (SOP’s) being illegally done by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) like prolonged detention without charges. Rep. Crispin Beltran, KMU Chairperson Emeritus is a prime example of this, who remains detained despite being arrested without warrant,” said Labog. “Even terrorist labeling of legitimate organizations like Anakpawis Partylist, Bayan Muna and other progressive organizations is part of their propaganda to prepare the ground for physical attacks on activists and journalists.” The labor leader also mentioned the “Hello Garci” scandal which was a product of eavesdropping operation by the Intelligence Service of the AFP (ISAFP) during the Arroyo poll rigging operations in 2004.
Since Arroyo assumed presidency in 2001, 86 unionist and labor advocates have been killed and justice remains elusive for the victims and their survivors.
