Executive Order 420
Gloria's National ID system is a step towards martial rule

Migrant workers and their families under the aegis of the MIGRANTE Sectoral Party today joined the growing opposition to the Macapagal-Arroyo government's frenzied drive for a centralized ID system with the recent exposure of Executive Order 420.

"We oppose this National Identification System being pushed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Angelo Reyes, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and other militarists in government. We call on Malacanang to immediately rescind Executive Order 420 as this will never translate into better government services and actions to is overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and families. We will never accede to this system that will initially result in the invasion of anyone's privacy, progress into the wiretapping of personal communications facilities, surveillance, illegal arrests and other violations of human rights," Migrante Sectoral Party Chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said.

Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo secretly signed EO 420 last April 13 that calls for a unified ID system among government employees.

"Along with other 'anti-terror' bills in Congress, Pres. Arroyo's EO 420 aims to railroad an ID system that aims to get each person's vital information for the benefit of terrorists in government. When we say terrorists (read: militarists) in government, we mean those who have short tempers and those do not want critics of their anti-people policies," Bragas-Regalado said.

"We reiterate that a National ID system will not address the issue of violence in the country, nor will it guarantee more and better social services from government offices for us OFWs and our families. The terrorists in government were secretly shepherding EO 420 priority list in attempts to avoid intense public criticism it is now receiving," Bragas-Regalado said.

Palace officials have said that "all data stored in the system would be considered as confidential and only the person with the ID or his duly authorised representative would be allowed to access information."

"But who will be guarding those in government with access to the ID system's database against any abuse? Who will stand to benefit from the gathering of all the personal and private information of all persons?" Bragas-Regalado queried.

Migrante also pledged to join all efforts to junk EO 420 in the Philippines and various nations abroad.