Miriam hits Arroyo advisers for martial law declaration

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago on Monday assailed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Proclamation 1959 for allegedly being an “ill advised" declaration. "I regret very much even as an administration ally that tomorrow [Tuesday] at the joint session at 4pm, I will have to vote to revoke the proclamation," she said. Proclamation 1959, issued last Friday night but made public Saturday morning, puts the entire province of Maguindanao under martial law and suspends the writ of habeas corpus there. The two chambers of Congress will jointly discuss if the declaration should be revoked or not on Tuesday afternoon. Santiago was only one of the 18 senators who have expressed opposition to the martial law proclamation. Santiago, however, did not pin the blame on President Arroyo, but instead on her advisers.

Shoot the advisers "They [advisers] should be taken out and shot and then they should be buried with a backhoe," the feisty lawmaker said in jest, referring to how the 57 victims of the November 23 massacre in Ampatuan town were killed and disposed. The turmoil that followed after the massacre, considered as one of the worst political killings in the country, was the reason behind the declaration of martial law in the province. The government cited the threat of rebellion in Maguindanao as basis for the declaration, noting the number of armed groups there associated with the powerful Ampatuan clan, the suspects allegedly behind the mass killing. Santiago said the executive department should have consulted with the Congress first before coming out with Proclamation 1959, which as of posting time is being contested by at least four petitioners before the Supreme Court. "The presidential advisers should have thought of the implications of this proclamation of martial law. They should not have rushed into the matter. They should have consulted with the leaders of both the Senate and the House [of Representatives]," she said.
Son to the rescue Presidential son and Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, meanwhile, came to his mother’s side as he scored critics for “wallowing on the negative aspect of every issue the administration is involved in." "Before President Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 1959, some sectors were saying the administration is treating the issue of Maguindanao with kid gloves. Now that she has placed Maguindanao under martial law… they are again crying hell," he said. Rep. Arroyo said Proclamation 1959 aims to dismantle private armies and confiscate loose firearms in Maguindanao with the primary objective of restoring law and order there. Earlier in the day, Akbayan Reps. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel and Walden Bello filed House Resolution 1528, which said Proclamation 1959 should be revoked for having no basis. "The existence of firearms in the custody of the Ampatuans is not tantamount to staging a public uprising or an actual rebellion warranting a declaration of martial law," the resolution read. The progressive party-list bloc composed of House members from Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakpawis, and Gabriela also filed a joint resolution seeking the revocation of the martial law proclamation. - KBK, GMANews.TV