Madame Speaker, Mr. Senate President, lumaki po ako sa mining camps of the Cordilleras in the north. Sabi nila noon may continuing rebellion din doon at may gulo. At the time na dineclare ang martial law noon, sabi nila it was popular: tanggap ng mga politicians, gusto ng mga tao, gusto ng big business, at papasok ang investments, tataas ang ekonomiya, at tataas ang agriculture, tataas ang tourism.
Ano ang nangyari? After three, five years, we all know what happened sa martial law noon.
One and half years, or 18 months, or 532 days. The entire Mindanao has been undert martial law. If we extend this proclamation under the same factual justification as that given to us a year and a half ago, then nothing will prevent the imposition of perpetual martial rule over an even extended geographical area.
It’s a slippery slope, and I am scared to imagine it: a Philippines and the Filipino people slowly but surely, maybe, even, blindly and willingly giving up our democracy, and our fundamental freedoms because it is convenient; because it seems to work, because it is popular. Kasi lagi naman pwedeng may ituro o gawing kontrabida; dilaw, pula, asul, rebelde, terorista.
Yesterday, I asked: para kanino ba talaga ang RBH 15. Today, while we were discussing the Message of the President dated last Thursday, I was pondering; para saan at para kanino po ba talaga ang extension na ito? Para sa mga tao ng Mindanao ba talaga ito? Para sa mga Pilipino ba talaga ito?
Madame Speaker, Mr. Senate President, my colleagues. I do not agree that we need to extend martial law in Mindanao for another year. In fact, I believe we should seriously consider lifting martial law in Mindanao for the sake of our democracy. For the sake of the nation we want to pass on to our children.
