BY ELMER P. FORRO
WE STRONGLY condemn the approval of the Lower House of the Terror Bill in its third and final reading.
The bill will definitely legitimize red-tagging, surveillance, harassment, imprisonment, and up to the killings of critics, and dissenters.
We may recall the thousands who have died under the drug war, including innocent children as young as three. They are not users, peddlers, addicts, or pushers. Clearly, this government can no longer be trusted.
For President Duterte, it is best to get rid of critics and dissenters than providing the people’s needs amid the pandemic – i.e. food assistance, mass testing, transportation, just wages, permanent jobs, higher budget for health, and protection of frontliners among others.
Upon the President’s request, the Congress and Senate immediately become rubber stamps. Their constituents were left horrified by their doings.
It was only later exposed that some representatives were deliberately added as authors without their knowledge. Such practice explains how ridiculous laws are passed despite the people’s opposition.
In Panay Island, activists were harassed, tailed, monitored, and killed. Farmer leader John Farochilin and Bayan Muna Iloilo City Coordinator Jory Porquia were killed despite the pandemic and while helping the people curb the contagion. The police stations of Molo and Arevalo have been monitoring Porquia’s actions weeks before he was murdered.
The people with not forget the treachery in the House of Representatives and Senate. History will judge your evil doings.
To the people, we must not remain silent. In time of oppression, silence is the weapon of the oppressors.
Let us all unite and show our dissent in any way we can – online and on the streets. We must act now, and act quickly. Evildoers do not sleep, and the state’s terror bill sanctions evil-doing.
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The author is the secretary-general of cause-oriented group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – Panay./PN
