Nsa: Gma May Declare Emergency Rule

[Mr Lee]

Looks like the president may want to insure that she is not charged with plunder, as the oppositions people keep promising they will do if they get elected president. How do you think this will effect us if they do declare martial law? NSA: GMA may declare emergency rulehttp://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20090709hed1.htmlUN cancels aid mission because of bombingsControversial National Security Adviser (NSA) Norberto Gonzales, who has been agitating for the creation of a council or junta government with President Arroyo as its head to bring about reforms in the country, yesterday said the Arroyo administration is ready to use its "iron fist" by way of the President�s declaration of a state of emergency due to the bombings in Mindanao, even as he claimed that there is yet no need, at this time, to declare emergency rule."Government is ready to use its iron fist when needed," Gonzales said, even as he failed to elaborate on the conditions that would have the Arroyo government use its claimed iron-fist approach.He also said that the bombings will likely escalate, insinuating that emergency rule may be at hand.

[Bruce]

Plunder? (really, plunder?)I believe that the past few presidents have faced similar charges.... Cost of doing business.Any president that is elected will find themselves in the middle of a 'machine' that has been in place for may years. Plunder is really a catch all term for graft / corruption, which is the way things are done. Play by their rules or your presidency will be cut short.An interesting similar situation is going on in Alaska with the Gov. Palin who recently resigned. Political opponents who are trying to stop any future presidential bids by her have been using the state laws in Alaska to bring 'ethics complaints'. Each complaint has to be answered and that costs time and money for her attorney. Last couple of weeks she was complaining that her legal bills were over 500 thousand USD. So, with no end in sight, she resigned to avoid more ethic complaints that distract her time and cost her money. Same deal is unfolding in the Philippines where the president is being attacked from different angles which takes her time and efforts away from 'plundering'. It gets to a point that she becomes ineffective. The only way around that is the martial law powers being used.

[Mik]

Under Marcos' martial law there was a total gun ban.

[tom_shor]

Under Marcos' martial law there was a total gun ban.

Yes I believe rising unrest was also the reason he declared martial law. Hmmmmm.

[jamesmusslewhite]

I traveled in the Philippines during 1985-87. I remember Marcos's Martial law, oddly enough it was because of the very same unrest in the very same region. Few remember the massacur and the old Manila airport or the bombings of the past. They want to disconnect the events as to not spark up the connection and the similarities of the groups involved. The Philippines is fighting for it's very survival to exist. Marxist, Maoist, and Islamic extremism has pumped monies in these groups for decades trying to separate the Philippines for it's ties with the US. We have to accept that we live in a country that is in a civil war with 4 major armed and well funded factions. As the French say,"Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.""The more things change, the more they stay the same"We will be fine if we are observant and the Filipino forces are villagent. If the Philippines loses to these groups know this, we will not be safe anywhere. They do not want us here and we are bargaining chips. They will take everything you have built and own. Martial law can protect us more than it will hurt us. Unless you are MNLF, MILF, ASG, or NPA. Between 1973 - 1975, an estimated 50,000 military and civilians were killed.http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=MDXWDJ...lt&resnum=1

[Mr Lee]

The big question is, are the bombings real or is the govt doing them to stay in power. There has been some in the know within the govt who have said that some of the bombings of the past and maybe the present were done by the military under orders of the govt and if that is true, will martial law help or hurt us?James, since you were here in the past, did they stop foreigners from coming and going while the martial law was in effect?

[jamesmusslewhite]

The big question is, are the bombings real or is the govt doing them to stay in power. There has been some in the know within the govt who have said that some of the bombings of the past and maybe the present were done by the military under orders of the govt and if that is true, will martial law help or hurt us?James, since you were here in the past, did they stop foreigners from coming and going while the martial law was in effect?

The only restrictions that were imposed on me was by the US military, they had no travel zones that service men could not travel. I encountered many who had travel through out the Philippines at the time, and had little problems traveling throughout the islands. They were just stop and searches conducted at check points, and they were random so as to keep insurgents on their toes. Kanos had little problem as long as you had proper documents on you. They were looking for Filipino insurgents, and we sort of stuck out in the crowds. I can say this about the times then. This is the truth. The locals often were more scared of the local cops than they were of the insurgents.

[tom_shor]

Actually by 1985 martial law had been over for several years. Most areas were safe to travel but there were trouble spots. I was in Cubi Point in 1983. A friends GF went home to see her family in Mindinao. She hadn't been home in four years. She was supposed to be gone two months. She came back in a little over three weeks. She said she was scared. Riding the bus they would stop at a military checkpoint and they would check everyones ID. Less than 2 miles down the road was an NPA checkpoint they did the same. She said this happened four times on the trip to her town. Each time the NPA checkpoint was within two miles of the Military one. Going out she took a banca boat.

[jamesmusslewhite]

Actually by 1985 martial law had been over for several years. Most areas were safe to travel but there were trouble spots. I was in Cubi Point in 1983. A friends GF went home to see her family in Mindinao. She hadn't been home in four years. She was supposed to be gone two months. She came back in a little over three weeks. She said she was scared. Riding the bus they would stop at a military checkpoint and they would check everyones ID. Less than 2 miles down the road was an NPA checkpoint they did the same. She said this happened four times on the trip to her town. Each time the NPA checkpoint was within two miles of the Military one. Going out she took a banca boat.

After putting in force amendments to the constitution and legislation securing his sweeping powers and with the Batasan under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981. However, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao. The opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere "face lifting" as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul II. Marcos "lifted" Martial Law in 1981 but continued to rule by decree. Later it was discovered he had signed dozens and dozens of secret decrees which he intended to flash at the appropriate occasions. Martial law continued in the Provences till he was driven out of power by the Peoples Power revolt in Feb. 1986. I did 3 opps with 3rd Recon 3rd Mar Div with 1st Radio in Jolo and the Zamboanga region while Marcos was president and 2 more after Aquino became president. It may be true that Martial law was lifted in Lazon in 1981, but in Mindanao it was well in place untill 1987 when I left Okinawa. Over 3 years either in military opps or comming to visit my wife's family there was emposed martial law just not name but in policy. A rose by another Name, but still the same.