KMU to Arroyo: Stop justifying martial law to cover up dirty secrets in Maguindanao

Apparently, Gloria Arroyo’s lame duck presidency is now dishing out lame excuses of rebellion of Ampatuan followers and their connection to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to justify the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao, which is meant to provide blanket over Maguindanao’s secrets.

Kilusang Mayo Uno said apart from being home to tons of ammunition and high-powered firearms supplied by the government to the Ampatuan clan, “Maguindanao is also the graveyard of electoral paraphernalia used to create the ‘Hello Garci’ trick in 2004 and the ‘12-0’ magic in 2007,” referring to the Arroyo regime’s record of electoral fraud.

“With the discovery of ballot boxes along with the cache of firearms, it becomes clear why the Arroyo regime pressed the alarm button. Obviously, the ballot boxes have something to reveal on Arroyo’s electoral fraud machinery. And she certainly does not want her 2010 trick to be spoiled,” KMU Chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog said.

“The recommendation of Major General Gaudencio Pangilinan to extend Proclamation No. 1959 in Maguindanao up to the May 2010 elections is very telling of Arroyo’s desperation to formulate another winning trick for administration bets, especially for presidential aspirant Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro,” added Labog.

Labog quickly added that the declaration also works to protect Teodoro presidential bid from more flak as he was the former chief of the defense department, which appears as the source of the unearthed firearms.

Labog scoffed at Pangilinan’s claim that martial law will ensure peaceful and credible elections in Maguindanao, saying “it is the presence of the armed forces of the government in Maguindanao which made electoral miracles possible for the Arroyo regime.”

“At all angles, the declaration of martial rule in Maguindanao points to no other than Arroyo’s political interest and survival. More so, the baseless declaration appears to be an omen for future vicious maneuvers in the name of perpetuating Arroyo in power,” said Labog.

“It is absurd how the government insists on citing the Proclamation No. 1959 as part of the search for justice for the massacre victims even as the declaration itself robs civilians of their basic right to access of the justice system of the land,” he added.

KMU reiterated its call to workers and the people to join protest actions against the martial law declaration in Maguindanao and to slam new maneuvers of the government to justify the declaration. #