This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 4, February 26 - March 4, 2006

Spontaneous Protests in U.S. Greet GMA’s Martial Law Coup

Bayan-USA condemned Macapagal-Arroyo's Proclamation 1017, saying that the real state of emergency started when she took over as president in January 2001. The people power anniversary and oust-Gloria actions, the organization said, are "the result of escalating outrage from under-poverty-level wages, joblessness, homelessness, high prices, the burden of value added taxes and the failure to bring justice for the gang rape of a Filipino woman by U.,S. Marines."

BY NICANOR SEGOVIA

Bulatlat

SAN FRANCISCO, California - Filipinos in the United States greeted Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of state of emergency with concern, recalling the dark years of the Marcos dictatorship when thousands of their compatriots disappeared, were tortured and arrested or were victims of summary executions.

News about the state of emergency declaration spread throughout Filipino communities particularly in California. The news was monitored through Filipino TV networks as well as through the websites of major newspapers. Internet and phone lines traffic between the United States and the Philippines was overloaded that lines became busy while access to online news was slow. Mobile lines became more reliable and many immigrants here were up till morning waiting for news from their relatives and friends.

Many Filipino immigrants have been in the United States for more than 30 years after Marcos declared martial law in 1972 either out of fear, opposition to the military takeover itself or because they were suspected dissidents wanted by Marcos agents and assassins.

The fact that Macapagal-Arroyo declared a state of national emergency on the day Filipinos marked the 20th year of the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, otherwise known as EDSA or People Power I, was greeted here with shock and concern.

Within hours as the news reached the United States patriotic organizations led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) - Los Angeles chapter and Gabriela Network geared for a spontaneous rally. At noon of Feb. 24 - a working day - some members of the two groups, including a number of U.S. citizens-activists and solidarity friends from Latino and other Asian groups converged in front of the Nara Financial Bldg. where the Philippine Consulate is located at its fifth floor, along Wilshire Boulevard in sunny downtown Los Angeles.

In a statement, Gabriela Network-LA called the state of emergency a virtual "martial law" as it bans all rallies and demonstrations, allows warrantless arrests, seizure of private property including media outlets and, above all, legitimates the usurpation of civil authority by the armed forces under its commander-in-chief, Macapagal-Arroyo.

U.S. troops

It is no coincidence, Gabriela said, that martial law was declared in the presence of some 6,000 U.S. troops said to be training in war exercises in the country. "No Philippine president would date undertake such a drastic grab for power without the approval of her colonial master (the U.S.)," the women's group said.

Bayan-LA activists complained of harassment by LA police when one of its members accused the rallyists of carrying "molotov bombs." The protesters actually dispersed peacefully after one hour and no untoward incident took place.

Other rallies participated in by hundreds of Filipino activists and other nationals were held on the same day outside the Philippine consulates in San Francisco as well as in New York. In a statement, Bayan-USA condemned Macapagal-Arroyo's Proclamation 1017, saying that the real state of emergency started when she took over as president in January 2001. The people power anniversary and oust-Gloria actions, the organization said, are "the result of escalating outrage from under-poverty-level wages, joblessness, homelessness, high prices, the burden of value added taxes and the failure to bring justice for the gang rape of a Filipino woman by U.,S. Marines."

Bayan-USA also called on the U.S. and other foreign governments to withdraw support for Macapagal-Arroyo.

Meanwhile in LA, it was business as usual at the Philippine consulate with about 50 Filipino nationals queuing up for passport and visa processing. The office is headed by Consul General Marciano A. Paynor.

More protest rallies are set next week in other cities of the United States and Canada.  Bulatlat 

© 2006 Bulatlat ■  Alipato Publications

Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.