The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) assailed Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for saying that Julius Babao was the one who posted bail for alleged terrorist suspect Dawud Santos. 

According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP, “this is media harassment plain and simple, but what is extremely alarming though is that it has reached such a scale as the national level and the one responsible for it is the so-called president herself. Gloria has evidently put Mr. Babao in clear and present danger. We will also not be surprised if he is now being monitored by state agents,”

“Like what Gloria is doing with political activists by issuing a campaign of annihilation against us, she is now trying to intimidate media to report news with a slant to her benefit. Considering her statement a few days ago, that the blunders and corruption of the regime are, the only ones reported in mainstream media. Babao and ABS-CBN it may seem is just a test case on how the people and the media institutions will react, if Malacanang harasses media” added the peasant leader.

Meanwhile Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP, “Malacanang’s choice of a target is the biggest network so as to instill fear on other media practitioners, especially those in the regions, where killing of journalists have become commonplace. Because in this reasoning when smaller media outfits see what the government can do to ABS-CBN, it is ubnthinkable what the government can do to them,”

“This is a classic Hitler doctrine, control the media, control information, control the truth, and control the people. Marcos also tried this, but look,where he is now, sorry Gloria your scheme’s cover has been blown. You have nowhere to go but out,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 31 October 2005