The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) chided Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the intelligence community anew for committing another blunder and wasting precious resources in the process. 

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “the latest blunder of the regime regarding the arrest of Antonio Gara a supposed Abu Sayyaf leader look-alike is indeed reflective of the dangers the authorities pose to innocent civilians when using their powers in implementing the oft repeated rule of law. Let us also note that this happened when there is still no Anti-Terrorism law enacted, just imagine the fear that it would instill to civilians because this type of incident would happen everyday under the proposed draconian measure. No one is safe from arbitrary arrests or searches when it is enacted. Under the anti-terror bill, the Philippines will effectively be a garrison state,” 

“This incident also comes on the heels of recent Malacanang gaffes like the tagging of Julius Babao as a supposed terrorist coddler and the arrest of a so-called Abu Tagalog, who turns out to be nothing but a chef. This would have all passed unnoticed had not Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself was involved in announcing them or leaking the information to media. She is so publicity hungry and so eager to project that she is doing something good that more often than not her pretensions blow on her face,” added the peasant leader.

Meanwhile Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP said, “We encourage the family of Antonio Gara to file charges against the police and even against Malacanang for traumatizing them especially Gara’s three daughters. By arresting him and calling him a terrorist Malacanang, has also sullied his name and honor.  The government must be taught a lesson so that this would not happen again,”

“The police nor the military does not need an anti-terror law to catch terrorists, all they need is to do their homework. We do not need nor want another law that they can abuse,” ended Marbella. # # #
 

KMP - 7 November 2005