Never again to Martial Law – Delima

DAVAO CITY – Never again to Martial Law.

This was the strongly worded statement of Leila De Lima, chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, who also urged for a nationwide pressure on Congress to nullify the declaration of Martial Law, warning that the declaration was “ominous”.

“Baka kakalat na iyan (It might spread),” De Lima told the forum with human rights advocates gathered here December 5 on the 2nd Mindanao Human Rights Summit. “There are already two provinces under Martial Law, the other one in Sulu”.

De Lima said the CHR would like Malacanang to explain “its basis for the declaration” saying that if what it claimed to say that Martial Law was declared due to the presence of armed men and that there was a clamor to serve justice to the victims, “then why not declare the entire country under Martial Law because there are a lot of armed groups in the country, and a lot of people who are seeking justice”.

She said that Maguindanao was already teeming with military personnel that their number would be adequate enough to contain any threat to deliver justice. “Bakit, kailangan pa bang i-declare ang Martial Law para ipaharap at ipanagot ang mga perpetrators? Kailangan ba talaga ang Martial Law para arestuhin ang mga murderers na iyan?”.

“Never again to Martial Law. Iyan ang dapat sagot natin,” she said.

She said that Martial Law was declared due to reports that armed men were massing up near the massacre site and guerrilla forces were also seen converging. “I think this was a preemptive move. But I don't thinkt that these are justified reasons to declare Martial Law.”

She also urged a nationwide pressure on Congress to nullify the declaration, and “to ensure that the members of Congress would really scrutinize it”. She said that Congress was expected to convene within 48 hours to discuss and act on the declaration.

“This is a serious matter,” she said.

“We would be expecting again further threats and harassments of civilians. Ang palaging lugi, ang kawawa ang mga civilians.”

She said that the CHR would issue a statement anytime yesterday that would say that “we are not convince of Malacanang's reasons”.

“We want a rule of law, and the full force of the law. Not Martial Law,” she said.

De Lima later joined human rights advocates in a photo session displaying bond-sized papers with the inscriptions “No to Martial Law” and “Lift Martial Law in Maguindanao”. De Lima carried the letter “M” in the word “No to Martial Law”, alongside Karapatan chairperson Marie Hilao Enriquez and Philippine Independent Church Bishop Felixberto Calang.

Meanwhile, De Lima said that the team of CHR investigators, Department of Justice prosecutors and the two Peruvian forensic experts were stranded in Cotabato City awaiting the official statement of the military clearing the way for their exhumation of the grave sites for more suspected bodies.

“With Martial Law, we are now getting conflicting advices from the military. Some said that we should not go because of the armed men. The others say that it's now safe,” she said.

She confirmed reports that government agencies and even private companies in Maguindanao have refused to lend their back hoe equipment to exhume the grave sites in Ampatuan town. “The only agency that eventually allowed us to borrow their back hose was the provincial government of Sultan Kudarat,” she said.

“But we can not proceed because we are awaiting the clearance from the military,” she said.