It seems critics of President Rodrigo Duterte would like him to fight terrorists with one hand tied behind his back. Despite Duterte’s declaration of a “state of lawlessness” being perfectly legal under the current constitution, various social media “activists”, mostly staunchly loyal to the previous administration of former President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III, have, yet again, raised the spectre of Martial Law.
Photo source: Bloomberg
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It lays down the premise for the exercise of the “calling out” power: Article VII of the Constitution allows him to call out the armed forces to suppress “lawless violence”. The result is that law-enforcement is not left only to the police but is entrusted to the Armed Forces who will assist the police in quelling mayhem.
This is a normal function of a Philippine president invoking tools granted him by the Constitution to deal with emergency situations that pose grave risks to the nation’s security. Inquirer columnist Oscar Franklin Tan notes in his Opinion piece today that the “even without extraordinary steps such as martial law, the President’s daily discretion over the military and law enforcement is extremely broad.” The soundness of the legal foundations supporting that presidential discretion to wield state forces in times of emergency is such that…
The Supreme Court has upheld every call-out of the Armed Forces to suppress lawless violence for decades.
Unfortunately, Martial Law Crybabies are amongst the noisiest of cliques in the Philippines’ chattering classes. Their fingers are always on a hairline trigger waiting for any opportunity to fire the Martial Law Bogeyman round into any public discourse on peace and order. They flood social media timelines with their fear-mongering drivel about the “evils” of Martial Law which they rabidly associate to the “dark ages” of the regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
The recent terrorist act that hit a Davao City night market in Roxas Street in which 14 people died and 67 were injured calls for swift and forceful action. The brazenness of the attack reveals an enemy that holds no respect for any principle upheld by the Philippines’ self-described “civil society”. As such, it is quite baffling that a supposedly respected sector of society would balk at the choices taken by Duterte who wants nothing more than to spring into action and take control of a situation that could easily spiral into chaos.
In short:
This is not the time to be a Martial Law Crybaby.
Noted academic Antonio Contreras asks that we consider how much violence need transpire in our midst before the State is “allowed to protect itself without being labeled as venturing into authoritarianism.” Indeed, Contreras encourages Filipinos to consider that, perhaps, it is high time they confront the possibility that their “freedom-loving” character may have reached perverse levels to the detriment of their own security as a nation…
Have we lost our sense of citizenship in our pursuit of our individual freedom and rights? Have we become too individualistic and selfish, and reduced the state to a mere servant of our sovereign right to be free, without any right to protect itself even when it is threatened?
That perversion of “democratic” principles seems to have reached its crescendo in the notion propagated by the Aquino camp that the Filipino public are the “boss” of the government. True, perhaps. But to take that concept to literal extremism seems to be a habit the Yellow camp have applied once too many nowadays.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
During the Paris terror attack in November 2015, the French Prime Minister Francois Hollande did something more extreme than Duterte’s declaration of a state of lawlessness–Hollande declared a state of emergency, shut all borders, and set a curfew.
Did we hear the French wailing that they were about to be put under a dictatorship?
No, because there are no yellow idiots there, they’re all here in the Philippines.
I suppose the yellows want Duterte to wait until terrorists put a bomb inside the Ateneo campus in Loyola Heights and kill 1,000 members of the “disente” crowd before they will let him lift a finger.
These imbeciles don’t understand a very basic concept: Prevention is better than cure. You don’t wait until a problem has grown to humongous proportions before you do something about it.
There is no such thing as overkill when you’re hunting down criminals and terrorists. Criminals and terrorists are like cockroaches who will grow and multiply if you don’t crush them while they’re still larvae.
It is the same with the war on drugs. Leila de Lima, Trillanes, Risa Hontiveros, and their jaundiced associates claim that the drug problem isn’t really that serious in the Philippines, and Duterte is going overboard with his war on drugs.
I suppose they want him to wait until we turn into a 100% narco-state with more than 10 million addicts (vs. current 3 million) before he takes action.
Come to think of it, maybe that is exactly what they want. It would make the drug lords very, very happy.
We need to Support Duterte on State of Lawlessness, but Martial Law is better
Martial Law is the only viable solution to this wayward nation that is full of arrogant and self-serving people.
“Hollande declared a state of emergency, shut all borders, and set a curfew.”
Border were not shut but control were reinstored. No curfew at all.
“Did we hear the French wailing that they were about to be put under a dictatorship?”
Yes they did, a lot of people were put into home custody for no reason link to terrorism but because it was convenient for the French government like ecologist activists. And people “wail”…
Before trying to take comparaison with other places get informed first…
I second that.
And the French police doesnt shoot/kill/murder/assasinate their own people. Instead they use intel.
And they (the French) are still beleaguered by terrorists that could attack anytime, anywhere.
So you assume the Philippine police are morally inferior to the French police? Your comment has racist undertones.
Jungle Cat,
Let me put it this way:
If I were the head of a PH police station or head of the PNP, I would resign.
I will never use words like moral/morality bec its limits the options to solve any problem.
(Revised)
Jungle Cat,
I don’t assume. I see what I see with my eyes. What my eyes see, is never assuming but are facts.
I think you’re the one who needs to get informed.
“French border sealed, Paris curfew announced following terror attacks”
http://nation.com.pk/international/14-Nov-2015/french-border-sealed-paris-curfew-announced-following-terror-attacks
“France’s Hollande Orders Borders Closed, Paris Under First Mandatory Curfew Since 1944”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hollande-attacks-borders-curfew_us_56467d29e4b045bf3def3699
Yes border were sealed for only few hours and then control were reinstalled.
No curfew ever have been put in place. You may need to stop believe what ever is written in the press.
Sorry I am Parisien but seems hat you know better.
And yes French police even if we hate them are far more moral superior that the highly corrupted one of Philippines.
You are all blinded with your hate at the point to not even see the reality you have in front of you.
The fact that Parlement, democratic elected push for laws does not mean that every body agrees with those. Look at the labour law that was passed against all disagreing… and this is a “real” democracy…
Was it the people in France who were against the state of emergency, or just the usual bunch of noisy activists? Because, you know, the representatives of the French people–parliament–voted to extend the state of emergency until 2017.
[Revised]
MARTIAL LAW…MARTIAL LAW…MARTIAL LAW!!! This is the only way to control these Muslim terrorists, monopolizing Chinese businesses/drug smugglers, and political dynasties; and, to bring order and prosperity back to the country.
The only way to have these assholes fall in line with everybody is to have the end of a gun barrel pointed on their face.
“The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.” Therefore, “the new ruler must determine all the injuries that he will need to inflict. He must inflict them once and for all.” —Niccolo Machiavelli (The Prince)
How does it feel to have your idol disappoint you at every turn with his respect of constitutional and customary limitations of his presidential powers, Aeta?
Let me break it down for your over-imaginative mind how life in the Philippines works, Pallcertus Baby.
The Chinese businesses (legal and illegal) and Filipino politicians don’t respect the “constitution and the customary limitations” of their positions to get what they want.
Why should Duterte respect the “constitution and customary limitations of his presidential powers” to give what the people want?
Even a child can understand that logic. Why can’t you?
@ Aeta, you cite Machievelli as if he was a Great and all powerful Man and is to be aspired to. BUT the fact is he was not that successful a guy. His fall from political prominence(Mayor/Governor of Florence is prominence?) at the hands of the Medici’s ended his brief political career.He was a loser in battle, not much of a governor and wrote one decent book,so what? The guy was a conniving scumbag.
So, why endorse the conniving mediocre scumbag(which is what he really was)?Are Filipino’s to aspire to that level? LOl, amazing.
Get off your moral high horse, Tell It Like It Is. If you’re as seasoned about the game of power as you say you are, then you should realize that the Machiavellian principles are in the vernacular of all the countries, government, businesses, and leaders in this world since that work was first published centuries ago.
You’re trying to get me to take the bait on why I’m endorsing the life of one of the keenest courtier (Machiavelli) in history, who ended up in a dank prison cell to write his book (The Prince) because of the plot to have the Medicis turn against him.
Dude, how low can you stoop to try to score a hit below the belt? . You know, the more I continue this verbal tirade with you, the more I’m convinced you’re not as finesse about the game of power as you say you are. You’re nothing but a sore loser who can’t take a hit when you get cornered.
@ Aeta, HWERE did I state that I am ‘seasoned’ in the ‘GAME OF POWER’ ? or that I am on a ‘Moral HIGH HORSE’? I merely stated that Machiavelli was not much of a Statesman/Soldier and nothing to aspire to.Now hear this AETA: YOU ARE AN IDIOT, You prove it all the time, with statements like that.
What do Filipinos do with their freedom anyway? Why is it so important to them?
Filipinos don’t know what “freedom” means. They’ve never had to fight for what they call “freedom” by themselves; and it was always with the help of one sovereignty after another that had vested interests in what they have.
Left under their own discretion, Filipinos will either sell, give away, or be duped of everything they have.
Regardless of how socially sophisticated Filipino believed they’ve become over the years, they’re still very primitive in the way they think and live their lives as a nation.
So the Katipunan was a myth, Aeta.
OK.
You got it, Pallacertus Baby. The “Katipunan” was a myth inside the people’s head who founded it—like all the myths inside your head about how the Philippines can be likened to “Alice in Wonderland” in solving its problems.
They wanted to found the republic ng “katagalugan”. How do you think Filipinos are going to react to that?
Filipinos and their titles. Bwa Ha Ha! It would piss off every non-Tagalog speaking Filipinos, Dick S. O’Rosary, if they named it “Katagalugan.”
Because more freedom means more fun…
Deranged woman ties up a dog and burns it with a blowtorch while wearing high heels.
Because for most Filipinos, they thought having freedom means ‘doing whatever they liked, even if it leads to anarchy’.
Yes, because a majority of people — here or anywhere — are like that woman.
Now you’re seeing the picture of how Filipinos think, Pallacertus Baby. It’s all about “me,” “myself,” and “I.”
If even the president has deemed a declaration of a state of lawlessness an appropriate response to the Davao bombing, then perhaps those who want a martial law (or at least the sort that satisfies their desire to subjugate the criminally unfit) could now calm down.
You had to be old enough to appreciate what Martial Law did for the Philippines and its people, Pallacertus Baby. I like making this analogy when comparing what life is like now to what it was before 1986:
During Martial Law, we had one thief and we knew who he was. Today, we have many thieves and we don’t know who they are. When Marcos stole 1 peso from the country, he kept 20 centavos for himself and gave 80 back to the people. Today, when the Chinese businesses and our corrupt politicians steal 1 peso from the country, they keep 80 centavos for themselves and returned 20 back to the people. Often, those 20 centavos get lost on the way to the people.
Just look at the deteriorating life of the Filipino people. It’s bad compared to what it was like during Martial Law. Again, you had to be old enough to compare the difference.
@ Aeta, YOU don’t know who the thieves are in the Philippines?R U kidding? During Martial Law there were MANY thieves,just as many as today. The difference was CURFEWS, LOSS OF CIVIL RIGHTS,LOSS OF ELECTORAL PROCESS,SELECTIVE PROSECUTIONS and much more.
The Philippines has a mountain of problems,ONE MAN AS A DICTATOR WILL NOT solve them.Be careful what you ask for.
Me, personally? The country should be divided into 3 separate entities with each deriving the tax revenues it collects to run its affairs, instead of Imperial Manila being the one and only seat of governance. That has yet to be tried and Manila’s inhabitants seem to be the ones screaming loudest for it not to be done,WHY WOULD THAT BE?
Tell It Like It Is,
You’re nickeling and diming my simple analogy to the point of desperation on your part, in order to score a “hit” on the board of our verbal tirade. Regardless of how many thieves there were during Martial Law, it all boils down to the difference in the quality of lives of the average Filipinos then and now. Let’s see you nitpick that one, Desperado, for a three-pointer.
Desperation? YOUR A HACK, an IDIOT. Nothing to me, or anyone else here, with your idiotic statements.I stated facts, you got nothing in response and that is because your an idiot.
@Tell It Like It Is:
Says the actual HACK and IDIOT who thought that everything is better after 1986. And Aeta’s argument of “it all boils down to the difference in the quality of lives of the average Filipinos then and now” is a fact and not an empty rhetoric.
He uses reality check on this, which you failed to do. That’s what makes you an idiot: you are circlejerking the argument with your ‘facts’ just to make yourself feel better. Of course you won’t admit it…
Not Martial Law. As it is, syndicates are wearing police and military uniform and murder their minions. Some even call themselves vigilantes. You can’t impose a Martial Law were criminals can copy a police/military personnel.
J: So you concede that borders were indeed sealed. Told you so. So what if it was only for a few hours? The point is, they were sealed. And it is but natural that it would not be done permanently, because how would any country function if they permanently sealed their borders? You say you are Parisian, but that doesn’t mean you’re an expert on France if you can’t even get your facts straight. You say “French police even if we hate them are far more moral superior that the highly corrupted one of Philippines”? That is a racial discrimination right there.
martial law won’t solved the problem the Philippines is facing right now especially the seccessionist-terrorist movement in Mindanao. the people should stand up as one power that’s the solution. just proceed with the HR105 probe and the citizens will be awake.
….. president duterte is not a threat for the yellows. it’s the people power they’re scared of.
a yellow tard,
Martial Law may not solve “all” of the problems of the Philippines, but it will definitely put all of them in one plate for Duterte to deal with, instead of having them served to him in different courses, and variety of dishes, and he ends up getting indigestion.
Aeta
@ Aeta, you accuse others of having an ‘over-imaginitive mind’ and dain to tell people that the problems of the country are like Dinner dishes and too many result in indigestion? WTF?Kettle black much? Get a clue, will ya,EE-GAD MON.
No matter how the problems are looked at(Dinner anyone?Bon apetito,LOL!), they are there, and one Man will not solve them all. AND MARTIAL LAW, which just may be Duterte’s aim all along (starting with the Presidentially condoned vigilante killings of societies lowest members, street level drug dealers),will be something you may regret asking for.FOR EXAMPLE: FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, the right to actively engage in discussions counter to the government line would be NO MORE. So,GRP may cease to exist.How would you like that? and that is just for starters…..
Tell It Like It Is,
You also belong in that category of over-imagination. This is why you’re picking up Pallacertus’ battle. What’s the matter? Can’t wait for my responses to your last to comments to go and this is why you’re chiming in? Don’t worry the comments are coming so you won’t have to twiddle your thumbs in anticipation much longer. In the meantime, work on you next conspiracy theory on why you think the world is fucked up in your head. You’d make a good science fiction writer. You should lump yourself together with Pallacertus and TheVoiceofTreason in the looney category.
Aeta
By the way, Tell It Like It Is, what is you fucking plan to reform this fucked up country that you loathe so much but decide to stay anyway because the pussy is cheap?
LOL, this is a blog that anyone can comment on, all comments are fair game.
Cant stand the heat? GTFO of the kitchen.
That’s what I thought, Tell It Like It Is.
You have NO SOLUTION! You’re all talk about how well-versed you are on the dynamics of world politics (probably from watching too much History Channel and reading comic books) that you can’t even tell the difference between fiction and non-fiction.
I stated my solution bove, and will NOT repeat for you or anyone else.Learn how to read.
Lies. You didn’t have any, son. All you did is to whine, bitch and moan, which was evident in your posts.
What A Bunch OF SH** Throwing Garbage Monkeys, ALL OF YOU!! DuschBagterte is giving the Whole Country To Terrorist, Creating a State of Civil Unrest and Division, This is the Beginning Steps of What is Called Regime Neutralization, Study History !!!, Tanisha, Iraq, Libya ETC…Then Research “The Arc Of Instability”, Guess Who is Last On The List ?…That’s Right-The Philippines!!, Good Luck
Well FUCK YOU, too! You want things to stay the way they are because you’re probably benefiting from it, and could care less what happens to the rest of the country. You sound like another media-brainwashed YellowTard who only cares about what he wants and not what the country needs. Arrogant and Selfish SONOFABITCH.
@Aeta, And Your Big Mouthed Uneducated Self Starts To Cry, Typical GARBAGE MONKEY, And Just To Correct You, The Media Is Full OF SHIT and The Whole Yellow Thing ?, That Is Another Make Believe FAILAPINO INVENTED EXCUSE to Blame The Whole World For How UNCIVILIZED and FUCKED UP YOU are, MY SOLUTION ?, Like COCKROACHES KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!!!, The World Will Be A Better Place, Just Keep As You Said “The Cheap Pussy”, Just Have Them Fixed So They Cant Reproduce, May ALLAH BLESS YOU.
Did you cut and paste those nice words from a newspaper, magazine, or a rhyme book, DTA? It looks like a ransom note or your first learned grammar words in kindergarten.
the enemy of the state is now terrorizing through bomb scares. sack de lima first she’s the one blocking the war on drugs the manila cartel.
Have any of these YellowTards or followers of Aquino and Leni Rob redo, understand the religious/political ideology of the Abu Sayaff/ISIS?
You cannot fight these radical elements, with , “human rights” and “due process”, tying your hands. Much more with the PHOBIA of “Martial Law”…
These Aquino YellowTard idiots are ALARMIST. They see the “specter” of “Martial Law” , on every move of Pres. Duterte…
However, they did not see the evil of Shabu Drug proliferation during the tenure of Aquino. They did not see the widespread corruption and grip of the Chinese Triad Mafia crime syndicate on our country…
These ISIS/Abu Sayaff will be worse than “Martial Law”, if they ever establish an ISIS/Abu Sayaff Caliphate in the Philippines.
They will cut the heads of infidels (us). They will make Filipino women their sex slaves (I don’t believe that De Lima will qualify as one)…They will put people on cages and parade them in public. They will burn people. They will drown people…
Women will be forced to wear Burqa, covered from head to toe. Music and karaokes , including kite flying, will be banned. Five times a day prayer, facing Mecca, Saudi Arabia, will be imposed. Religious Police will be powerful to impose them. Torture will be done to prisoners, every Friday, to “cleanse” them of their sins…
So, idiot Aquino YellowTards, understand the ISIS Abu Sayaff enemy, you are facing ! Otherwise, you all will be regretting, but it will be too late for all of you !
Our colonizer, Spain was under Islamic rule for many centuries. They were only freed from Islamic rule, during the “reconquista”, by “El Cid”.
You can see the power of the Islamic Sultans ruling Spain, if you ever visit , The Alhambra and Granada…
The rule of Spanish Friars, during the Spanish colonization, will be just a fraction of the evils done to us; if ever an Abu Sayaff/ISIS Caliphate will be established in our country !
What can you say to a man who tells you he prefers obeying God rather than men, and that as a result he’s certain he’ll go to heaven if he cuts your throat?
DON’T say anything, Kill him before he kills you.
Sounds like what a trigger-happy conspiracy theorist would say.
LOL, spoken like the true idiot you no doubt are.
Takes one to know one, doesn’t it? Idiot.
If a Suicide Bomber will bomb himself and the infidels (us); there are 72 virgins, waiting for him in Paradise ! What religion can beat that offer?
Next, watch out for suicide bombers !
Watch out also for suicide attackers. They are armed to the teeth. They kill innocent people. Put suicide bomb vests on themselves. If cornered. They will detonate the suicide vest, killing themselves and the infidels.
The 72 virgins in Paradise are waiting for them !
The Chinese’s “Bamboo Network” is behind the bribery of our politicians to monopolize the economy and to smuggle illegal drugs and other contraband into the country. It’s that simple. Get it through your fucking thick “Pinoy Pride” skulls, Filipinos.
Pallacertus = hypocritical idiot
James Rocket,
Pallacertus–along with Birds Eye Benny–Tell It Like It Is, and TheVoiceofTreason–is nothing more than a yellow wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The only way to keep their likes from adulterating this site is to give them a swift kick in the ass, like you would a stray (and potentially rabid) dog that wander onto your property.
Aeta
I’ve tried to be civil with you.
You’re not a civil person.
If my present conduct towards you irritates you, you only have yourself and your fucking no-holds-barred no-prisoners-spared callousness towards those whose opinions differ from yours to blame.