The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) scored Malacanang and the proponents of the National ID system for talking as if the said measure is a certainty and all that has to be worked out is the budget.

  According to Ka Willy Marbella, spokesperson of KMP, “they should stop being so cocksure, because as early as now the opposition against the national ID system is snowballing. The national ID system is a lost cause whether it be morally, socially, legally and even logistically, the base figure of P1.6B needed for the ID should instead be allocated to basic services. Besides are we not in a middle of a financial crisis?” 

“This measure is just the first step on the Macapagal-Arroyo administration’s plan to stifle the political opposition and to crackdown on government critics. It is a very dubious move. Together with the Anti-terrorism bill it is a tougher de facto martial rule, with it in place she can declare anything, confident that anyone who objects can be hauled to prison without even a charge against him,” added the peasant leader.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of the group, “we are to file charges on any body that would try to implement this measure whether nationally or in any part of the archipelago. So the mayors of Metro Manila should be warned what they are doing is unconstitutional and this will definitely cause them their political careers,”

“We are also planning to file a temporary restraining order (TRO) to this move so that it would be effectively stopped until we have enough support to finally junk this repressive measure once and for all,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 24 February 2005