Symptoms of Decay

The recent events at the Manila Peninsula clearly reflect the growing dissent against the oppressive and fascist Arroyo regime among the Filipinos people. We can see the dissatisfaction even within its government’s rank and file. Although the mutiny was far from successful, we cannot rest back and say that this will be the last one. We can expect that more and more people will be staging activities that aim to topple the current regime. It is not true that the Filipino people will remain content and stand by as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ravages this country with murder, corruption and bogus policies. The Filipino people will not stand by and accept this bogus, puppet and dictatorial regime. The US-sponsored Arroyo administration is showing symptoms of decay and its downfall is inevitable.

We should condemn the show of force that the Arroyo government did by barging a military tank into the lobby of the hotel. This act was completely uncalled for and unnecessary. We should keep in mind that this administration has no qualms about destroying private property and inconveniencing its tax payers.

Even members of the media were not spared from the fascist measures carried out by the government. It is the media’s job to cover and convey the news as it happens. They are not the enemy. But why is it that even honest people doing their jobs were arrested? We cannot buy the military’s reasons for doing so. In saying that they cannot decipher which were members of the Magdalo groups and which were media personnel, the military is clearly demonstrating its lack of common sense. It should be noted that none of the Magdalo members were posing as journalists. None of them had media identification cards. Clearly, this is another move of the regime to quell press freedom and the public’s right to information. It is unbelievable that even well known media personalities would be mistaken for rebelling soldiers. But it is utterly obvious that the regime took this chance to further its oppressive measures against freedom of speech and the free flow of information.

Many say the imposing of curfew in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog is a dry run for martial law. They are wrong. We have long been under an unacknowledged and undeclared martial law. The curfew only shows us that the US-Arroyo regime is hell bent on strengthening its grasp on political power. The curfew is meant to scare the Filipino people into submission. This we must not allow. We must stand firm in our commitment to freedom, peace and democracy. We must not allow a puppet, fascist and oppressive machine to continue its reign. Today, we recognize the symptoms of decay of this fake and corrupt administration. Today, we move to oust this woman who has long been masquerading as our president.