The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) lambasted Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for laying the grounds for a police state with her controversial orders like the calibrated preemptive response (CPR) against protest actions and Executive Order 464, which bans government, police and military personnel to attend inquiries without her nod. 

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “obviously these are all designed so that Gloria can maintain her tedious hold onto power. But in her brazen attempt to do so, her purpose is further exposed and her methods are so blatant. It is as if she is challenging the entire Filipino people to stand up against her impunity, but in so doing she is further weakening the regime and will lead to her eventual downfall”

“For example the so-called CPR does not even have an EO or whatever legal basis for its declaration and implementation. The Batas Pambansa 880, which the government says is the basis of this policy, does not even have a provision that this fascist measure can be derived. The BP 880 is considered as a Jurassic draconian law that needs to be scrapped but Gloria, instead of doing so created a policy, which is worse. In fact, in BP 880, as fascist as it is even states in its Section 2 “The constitutional right of the people to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances is essential and vital to the strength and stability of the State. To this end, the State shall ensure the free exercise of such right without prejudice to the rights of others to life, liberty and equal protection of the law,” added the peasant leader.

Meanwhile Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of the group said, “as for EO 464, its precedent is Memorandum Circular 112 by former president Corazon Aquino but EO 464 is broader and more sweeping. While MO 112 covered only heads of Cabinet departments, EO 464 covers virtually any official the President does not want to testify in Congress. This is indeed an abuse of one’s power to cover-up ones crimes,”

“This gag order should be resisted and defied by all government, police and military officials who sincerely love the truth and their country. They are not beholden to the fake president; they have to answer to the Filipino people. We deserve the truth and nothing but the truth,” ended Marbella. ### 
 

KMP - 30 September 2005